The "BeyonceLac" ready to lead off Houston Art Car Parade

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Main Street Drag kicked off Art Car Parade Weekend Thursday morning. The event offers artists a chance to show off their rolling pieces of artwork across the city.

Art Car owner, Nancy Josephson, traveled from New York City.

"This is my favorite event of all of them because it's really giving back to the community, bringing the work to the people," Josephson said.

Rickey Polidor wouldn't miss Art Car Week, "We are going to schools, centers, and hospitals. It's cool that people come from all over the world to share this experience."

The BeyonceLac is leading the Art Car Parade this year. Houston native Beyoncé rode in the 1991 custom Cadillac Fleetwood Convertible during her 2024 Christmas Day halftime show at NRG Stadium.

The Cadillac is the prized possession of Bernard Johnson from Texan Wire Wheels.

"Her coming from here and riding in this car, everyone was naming it the BeyonceLac." Johnson said. "Nobody sits in the back of this car, except Carl Lewis."

Lewis, a nine-time Olympic gold medalist, and UH legend is this year's Grand Marshal of the parade. On Saturday, Lewis will ride in the BeyonceLac.

"My best friend did a lot of choreography for Beyoncé and Destiny's Child, he's going to get a kick out of knowing I'm riding in that car," Lewis said.

The Houston Art Car Parade, presented by Team Gillman, is one of the city's largest free public art events, drawing more than 300,000 people each year.

ABC13 is live streaming the parade Saturday, April 12 at 2 p.m.