May | June 2026 AirportImprovement.com 88 ARTSCAPES HOU Revving up Excitement for Local Events If Carmen Miranda were still alive, this station wagon- turned-sculpture currently on display at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) would be the perfect ride for her. The Brazilian singer, dancer and actress would have felt right at home driving Fruitmobile, by local artist Jackie Harris. The work was commissioned in 1984 by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art as an auction item for its fundraising gala. But the piece Harris created from a donated Ford Country Squire and $800 of paint and plastic fruit served a more lasting and significant role. The group that purchased Fruitmobile donated it back to the organization, and the car became a “roving ambassador of goodwill” throughout the community. Eventually, the mobile masterpiece inspired Orange Show to create the Houston Art Car Parade—a festive and quirky annual event that drew more than 300,000 spectators from around the world this year, making it the city’s largest free cultural event. The 39th installment of the parade, held on April 11, included 250 entries rolling through downtown Houston and circling city hall amid a massive street party. By displaying Houston’s seminal art car near its passenger checkpoint, HOU helps promote the popular parade; and the unbridled color, energy and nostalgia of the Fruitmobile is popular with visitors and locals alike. Many guests rushing through the airport stop to take in its overload of three- dimensional features, often snapping selfies with huge smiles on their faces. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), also in Houston, has showcased parade alumni and fan-favorites as well. It featured Bohemian Rhapsody: A Tribute to Queen in 2024 and Karmadillo in 2025, both by art car notable Rebecca Bass. The airport is not displaying a car this year because such exhibits are large, and pedestrian traffic inside its terminals has increased significantly. The Art Car Parade isn’t the only hot ticket in town that enjoys extra marketing at the airports. IAH and HOU both routinely use art exhibits to promote cultural events that are unique to Houston, including its famed Livestock Show and Rodeo, Botanic Garden, FotoFest and others.
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