Freedom Over Texas July 4, 2026, America 250: Houston's premier annual Fourth of July celebration and official city festival

 

20 minutes of amazing FIREWORKS in the video below...

This year's Freedom Over Texas drew record-breaking crowd celebrating America's 250th year of Independence

Everything is bigger and better in Texas, and the Bayou City did not disappoint when it came to celebrating America's 250th birthday.

It was at Eleanor Tinsley Park, where we were serenaded by classics from Collective Soul and Los Lonely Boys. 

Then Keith Urban electrified the stage as the headliner for the night.

The cherry on top was the stunning fireworks show that was the biggest and longest in the Lone Star State.

I booked a parking lot through the app online and then bought the ticket also online. Festivities started at 3, I went quite later to avoid the blazing sun. Now on 2nd thoughts, wish I had been there sooner

My parking lot in the downtown had just 2 cars, LOL! and it was a 12 minute walk to the park

Football FIFA props on the way...

At the entrance to the park, some nice tankers, cars were on display

Collective soul was already on

set up my chair a little away from the stage to avoid high volume of sound.

Lead singer of Collective Soul, Ed Roland, brought out his niece, Eleven, to sing the band's hit song "December" 

Eleven is the daughter of Dean Roland, who is Ed's brother and Collective Soul's guitarist.

This couple got engaged!

Art Car Parade, April 2026, Houston: "the oldest and largest celebration of art cars in the world,”

 Amazing day in Houston with 250 plus cars participating in the Art car parade.

The videos above tell the story.

It's the 39th annual Art Car Parade. After the rodeo, the parade may be the city’s signature event, with more than 300,000 spectators each year. 

Other cities — Baltimore; San Francisco; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; even Jaipur, India — have their own versions. But Houston, Texas’ largest city, remains the movement’s unofficial capital, the place where the idea first took hold and never quite let go.

The rules remain minimal. “Whether it’s been painted, welded, sculpted, dropped, chopped, beaded, smashed, crashed, lit or lifted, art cars come in all shapes, sizes and forms,” read this year’s brochure. “The only rule is that it must roll!”

Over 50 of the cars that roll on Saturday will have been made in Houston classrooms, a striking fact at a time when arts funding in schools continues to shrink. The cars used in schools are donated — some junky, but operating well enough. For several years, many have been provided by a local car dealership, Gillman Automotive Group.

Parked the car in downtown garage near Bank of America building which was once the tallest in Houston

Map.

Don't have many pictures as videos tell a better story

Diverse themes...animals, birds, reptiles, flowers, space exploration   even working musical fountains 

Pink hearts all over

Brain stormers... bulb for idea

Butterfly

Dragon, knight and damsel in distress

Boat car... phishing for phoolery, 2025 2nd place

Bubbles

Dalmatians..

Cat burglar?

250 years of American independence...

PRIZES:

the Ann Harithas Legacy Award for "Best in Show" for the Dreamliner /Cosmic Love Shack. The top art car award went to three cars, those created by students from Alief Elsik High School in Houston; Da Vinci Design, a high school in the Los Angeles area; and first-time participant Alice Garcia-Gordon.

Those three shared the prize for their respective creations — "Our myriad of cultures, our myriad of strengths" by Elsik High School, "California Dream'n" by Da Vinci Design and "Looksy" by Garcia-Gordon.

2nd place

Joe Haden — "Truth, Goodness and Beauty"

Jessi Heiner, Houston Stitching Together and Houston Federation of Teachers — "Books not Crooks"

Joseph Blanchard, Galactic cruiser — "Kaleidoscope Clyde"

3rd place

Cassandra Gamez, Burbank Elementary School — "Unbearably Sticky Ride"

Brian Arthur — "Super Happy Fun Land Magical Alicorn Cardboard Puppet Truck" 

Rick McKinney — "Gretapocalypse 2.0"

High school

1st place: Wendy Bejarano, Westbury High School — "Renaissance on Wheels"

2nd place: Teresa Megahan, Olmec Gators — "Olmec Civilization"

3rd place: Luis Perez, Carnegie Art Honor Society, Carnegie Vanguard High School — "Madam Rhinoplas 'Tea'

K-5 schools

1st place: Hayley Boardman and The Lovett Owls, Lovett Elementary — "Rolling Fantasy"

2nd place: Justin Larson — "DinorabicasaurusTime Team"

3rd place: Austin Breier, Harvard Elementary — "Harvard's Eco Eagle Mobile"

Painted car

1st place: Richard Tuthill — "The Amazing Wow!"

2nd place: Elia and Noah Quiles, UP Art Studio — "Almas en Caravana (Souls in Caravan)"

3rd place: Sarah Gish — "Iggy the Igniter" 

Low rider

1st place paint: Fabian Ortega, Fabian & Juju, Classic Consulting VS — "Ruthless Villan"

1st place performance: Danny Moreno, Danny, Classic Consulting VS — "Poquito de Oro"

2nd place paint: Denis Enamorado, El Bandolero, Classic Consulting VS — "El Bandolero"

2nd place performance: Marvin Enamorado, El Bandolero, Classic Consulting VS — "Enamorado"

3rd place paint: Elouisa Martinez, Lisa, Classic Consulting VS — "Chema"

3rd place performance: Jose Alonso, Just Us Car Club, Classic Consulting VS — "Just Us - 1999 Town Car"

Contraption

1st place: Josh Waddell, 3 Bulls UPcycling — "Robo-Buffalo"

2nd place: Bob Wink — "Elvis Rocks"

3rd place: Kaitlyn Youngblood, Team Jazzlyn — "Jazzlyn Jean Wonder's Machine"

Next post is America's 250th birthday:

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2026/07/freedom-over-texas-july-4-2026-america.html