Houston Art Car Parade, premier bike ride are this weekend

Here's the lowdown:

Art Car Parade

More than 250 rolling art on wheels will take part in the 39th annual parade.

Route: The two-hour free parade begins at 2pm Saturday at Dallas and Bagby streets, loops around City Hall, heads down Allen Parkway and ends near Waugh Drive. Vehicles start lining up at 11am for the lineup party.

The intrigue: The parade is always a stellar show, with fun and funky vehicles — a mix of new and returning favorites.

• This year's parade includes two commissioned art cars by Untitled Art, a major contemporary art fair, which announced that its exhibit would return to Houston in October for the second year.

Tour de Houston

The city's annual bike ride, which serious cyclists use to train for the MS 150, heads west from downtown starting at 8am Sunday.

Route: The full 45-mile tour starts at Discovery Green, heads west along Washington Avenue, through Memorial Park and the Villages before turning around at Barkers Reservoir.

• There's also a 23.5-mile intermediate ride and a 14-mile family friendly ride along the same route.

Zoom in: While some roads in downtown near Discovery Green will be closed, cyclists will travel with traffic for the rest of the route.

• Law enforcement and ride marshals will be along for the ride, and there are several rest stops along the way.
• The ride goes on rain or shine, officials say.

The bottom line: Expect crowds, road closures and a lively downtown as Houston leans into art, fun, zaniness and bikes on a busy spring weekend.