CowParade is an international public art exhibit that has been featured in major world cities. Fiberglass sculptures of cows are decorated by local artists, and distributed over the city centre, in public places such as train stations, important avenues, and parks. They often feature artwork and designs specific to local culture, as well as city life and other relevant themes.
After the exhibition in the city, which may last many months, the statues are auctioned off and the proceeds donated to charity.
There are a few variations of shape, but the three most common shapes of cow were created by Pascal Knapp, a Swiss-born sculptor who was commissioned to create the cows specifically for the CowParade series of events. Pascal Knapp owns the copyrights to the standing, lying, and grazing cow shapes used in the CowParade events.
The concept of "cow parade" has its origins in Zürich, Switzerland, in 1998 by artistic director Walter Knapp, it is based on an idea which was realised in the same city for the first time in 1986: Lions as the symbol of Zurich were painted and then on display throughout the city.
The Zürich exhibit 1998 was not called "cow parade" - it was called "Land in Sicht" (roughly translated as "Countryside in view"). The concept was brought to the United States when Chicago businessman Peter Hanig, along with Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Lois Weisberg, organized an event in Chicago in 1999. A Swiss company, CowHolding Parade AG, started to explore the idea. The American company that explored this idea, CowHolding Parade, was founded in 1999; the Swiss company promptly sued but the case fizzled out without results. A bronze casting of one of the cows is on permanent display in Chicago in commemoration of the city's initial exhibition.
The success of this venture inspired many other cities to host similar fundraising projects. The idea has been taken up by other cities which have chosen animals for public art projects with painted fiberglass sculptures (see Similar projects).
Chicago, Illinois, USA (1999)
Bilbao, Spain (2001)
Kansas City, Missouri, USA (2001)
Manchester, England, UK (2004)
Denver, Colorado, USA (2006)
Toulouse, France (2012)
Santa Catarina, Brazil (2011) visiting Blumenau, Camboriú, Florianópolis, Joinville, Rio Negrinho
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Perth, Western Australia
The phenomenon of CowParade has spawned copy-cat statue decorating projects in a number of cities worldwide.
Zürich itself has adapted the bear theme in the "Teddy-Summer" in 2005.
Bat Yam "Masks", 2006–2007
Jerusalem, "Lions of Jerusalem", 2002
Tel Aviv, "Shvarim VeShe'arim" 2005, the Israeli stock market bull parade
Tel Aviv, "A Gateway to the World", 2007
Dubai, "Camel Caravan", 2003
Singapore, "Elephant Parade", 2011
Anaheim, California, baseball player Mickey Mouse, for the 2010 MLB All-Star Week
Anchorage, Alaska, "Wild Salmon on Parade" (2005)
Atlanta, Georgia, "Dolphins on Parade" (2011)
Austin, Texas, "GuitarTown" (2007)
Baltimore, Maryland, "Crabtown Project" (2005)
Bennington, Vermont, "Moosefest" (2005 & 2009), "PaletteFest" (2006)
Blacksburg, Virginia, "Gobble de Art" (2006)
Bloomington, Indiana "Brain Extravaganza" (2012) (22 fiberglass brains)
Boyertown, Pennsylvania, "Bear Fever"
Bradenton, Florida, "GECKOFest" (2006)
Brevard County, Florida "Shuttles Orbiting the Space Coast" (2009)
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, "Miles of Mules"
Buffalo, New York, "Herd About Buffalo"
Cadiz, Kentucky, "Meet the Pigs of Cadiz, Kentucky"
Cairo, New York, "Bears and Butterflies" (2009–2011)
Calgary, Alberta, with lifesize cow statues, as a nod to the cattle industry in Alberta
Catskill, New York, "Cat-N-Around Catskill" (2007–2013)
Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "AbZOOlutely Chestnut Hill" (2006)
Chicago, "Horses of Honor" (2015)
Cincinnati, Ohio, "Big Pig Gig"
Cleveland, Ohio, "GuitarMania" (2012)
Crystal City, Virginia, "Crystal Flight" (2008)
Dallas, "Pegasus" (2001)
Dothan, Alabama, "Peanuts Around Town" (2001)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, "Bison" (2005)
Elkhart County, Indiana, "ElkArt on Parade" (2011)
Erie, Pennsylvania, "GoFish!" (2000), "LeapFrog" (2004)
Eugene, Oregon, "Ducks on Parade"
Flagstaff, Arizona "PAWS" (2009)
Germantown, Tennessee "The Horses are Coming! The Horses are Coming!" (21 Horses) (2008)
Glendale, Ohio, Black Squirrels
Glens Falls, New York, "Have a Seat" (Painted Chairs) (2011)
Gloucester County, Virginia, Beehives (2001)
Halifax, Nova Scotia, "Lobsters" (2005)
Hudson, New York, Dogs (2008 & 2009) (Since they're across the river from Catskill's Cats)
Iowa City, Iowa, "Herky on Parade" (2004)
Jacksonville, Florida, "The Manatees of Jacksonville" (2005)
Jasper, Alabama, "20-Mule Team Public Art Project" (2011)
Juneau, Alaska, "Whale Tail Trail" (2012)
Langley, British Columbia "Horsing around Langley"
Las Vegas, Nevada, "An Affair of the Art" (2013)
Lexington, North Carolina, "Pigs in the City"
Los Angeles, California, "A Community of Angels"
Louisville, Kentucky, "Gallopalooza"
Memphis, Tennessee, "Tigers Around Town" (100 Tigers) (2011)
Miami, Florida, "Rooster Walk" (2003)
Mountain Towns of New York (Windham, Hunter, and surrounding areas), "Rip Lives" (Small concrete replicas of Rip Van Winkle) (2010-2012)
Naperville, Illinois, United Way hosts an annual exhibit (2001–2007)
Nappanee, Indiana, "Apple-Picking" (2013)
New Braunfels, Texas,"Stein Parade" (2006)
New York, New York, "MLB Statues On Parade" (June–July 2008)
New Orleans, Louisiana, "Paws on Parade" (2012), "Festival of Fins" (2000)
Norfolk, Virginia, (2000) "Mermaids on Parade,"
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, "Spirit of the Buffalo"
Ottawa, Ontario, tulips, at the Ottawa Tulip Festival 2005 in Major's Hill Park and at the Canadian National Exhibition Direct Energy Centre
Oxford, Maryland, "Take a Tour of Oxford's Picket Fences" (2009)
Park Ridge, Illinois, "Promise of Park Ridge" (2008)
Pensacola, Florida, "Pelicans in Paradise"
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "Phanatic Around Town Project" (2010)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "Donkeys Around Town" (2016)
Pinecrest, Florida "SmARTy Dogs for Smart Schools" (2011)
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, "Sheeptacular" (2004)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, "DINO-mite Days" (2000)
Providence, Rhode Island, Mr Potato Head (2000)
Racine, Wisconsin, "Monumental Squares" (2014), "Summer Block Buster" (2013), "Summer Trunk Show" (2012), "Potsarazzi" (2011), "Hour Town" (2010), "Sunny and Chair" (2009), "Sphere Madness" (2008), "Lighten Up" (2007), "Bird is the Word" (2006), "Downtown Summer Splash" (2005), "Downtown Bears It All" (2004), "Cat'n Around Downtown" (2003), "Dog Days of Summer" (2002)
Richmond, Virginia, "Go Fish!" (2001)
Rochester, New York, "Horses on Parade" (2001)
Salem, Oregon, "Salmon in the City" (2005)
Sarasota, Florida, "Superheroes on Parade, hosted by Southeastern Guide Dogs " (2016)
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, "Mermaids in the City" (2006)
St. Joseph, Michigan, "Lighting Up St. Joseph" (lighthouses, 2014), "All Aboard!" (2013), "Beached Pirates" (2012), "Barnyard at the Beach" (2011), "Hot Diggity Dogs" (2010), "Surf 'n Safari" (2009), "Boats-n-Beaches" (2008), "Hot Cars Cool Beaches" (2007), "Beach Bears" (2006), "Horses on the Beach" (2004, 2005)
St. Louis, "Cakeway to the West" (2014)
Saint Paul, Minnesota "Snoopies" (2005)
San Francisco, California, "Hearts in San Francisco" (2004–2013)
San Jose, California, "SharkByte" (2001)
Santa Fe, New Mexico, "Trail of the Painted Ponies".
Santa Rosa, California, "Peanuts on Parade" (2005, 2006, 2007)
Saratoga Springs, New York, "Horses, Saratoga Style" (2002, 2007)
Saugerties, New York, "Hors'n Around Saugerties" (2009 & 2010); "Shine On Saugerties (Lighthouses) (2011); "Sittin' Around Saugerties (Chairs) (2012)
Seattle, Washington, "Pigs on Parade" (2001, 2007); "Ponies on Parade" (2004); "Nutcracker March" (2006)
Sedona, Arizona, "Javalinas on Parade" (2006)
Toledo, Ohio, "It's Reigning Frogs" (2001)
Toronto, Ontario, "Moose in the City" (2000)
Troy, New York, "Uncle Sam Statues" (2013) - No Site Yet, announced on TV news
Tucson, Arizona, "Ponies del Pueblo"
Tulsa, Oklahoma, "Penguins on Parade" (2002)
Vancouver, British Columbia, "Orcas in the City" (2004); "Spirit Bears in the City" (2006); "Eagles in the City" (2009–2010); "Terracotta Warriors" (2012)
Vancouver, Washington, "HeArts of Clark County" (2013)
Victoria, British Columbia, "Spirit Bears in the City" (multiple cities) (2005–2006); "Whales"
Virginia Beach, Virginia, "A Dolphin's Promise" (2005)
Washington, D.C., "Party Animals"; "PandaMania"
Willimantic, Connecticut, "FrogFest"
Wilmington, Vermont, Bears in the Valley (2007), VerMonsters (Recycled Object Art) (2008), Painted Adirondack Chairs (2010)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Bears on Broadway (2005)
CowParade has been criticized by contributing artists for their selectivity standards; David Lynch's cow with its flesh partially ripped off, and organs showing, was rejected. The explanation is that this particular CowParade cow was rejected by the City of New York, not the CowParade organisation.
A Swedish organization called The Militant Graffiti Artists of Stockholm kidnapped and decapitated one of the cows of the Stockholm event in protest of the publicly provisioned cows carrying advertisements.
