CowParade-USA, information and locations of past and present CowParade

It's amaizing, but true. The cow population across the globe is multiplying at astonishing rates. Ok, so this is not about "real" cows - this statement is referring to the ever-growing public art phenomenon called CowParade. The creatively decorated fiberglass cow sculptures were born in Switzerland, then immigrated to Chicago, and now are appearing at various locations arond the world. This public art craze has not only brought with it a huge international awareness of public art, it has also enlivened tourism and boosted the economy in the hosting city. Proceeds of these events are given back to the communities as the cows are auctioned off with the money going to charities and local community organizations.

The idea of placing cows on display as a public art exhigit was conceived by Beat Seeberger-Quin and put into action in Zurich, Switzerland in the summer of 1998. The exhibition was intended to display the work of local artists for public enjoyment by placing their colorfully decorated fiberglass cows on the streets and in retail centers. The Swiss display of about 800 cows attractted an estimated one million tourists. You can see this original CowParade at:

     Zurich City Cow Gallery

Chicago was the first US city to be honored with the cow creations. The idea was brought to Chicago by prominant businessman, Peter Hanig after he witnessed the colorful cows speckled all over the Zurich landscape in 1998. The Cows on Parade exhibition in Chicago attracted an estimated two million tourists and brought approximately $500 million to Chicago's economy. The exhibit ran from June 14 through October 31, 1999. The end of the exhibit was capped off with an auction of the sculptures on November 9, and raised nearly $3.5 million for local charities. For more information on this event, go to:

     Chicago's Cows on Parade

New York City was the second US city to receive the CowParade event. Their exhibition ran from June 15 through September 4, 2000, and displayed over 500 artistically creative cows - including special guest appearances from some of the Chicago's Cows. Like the other exhibitis, the cows were auctioned off after the event with proceeds gong to charities supporting the arts, education, and parks in the New York area. CowParade also made appearances in West Orange, New Jersey, and Stamford, Connecticut.   For more on these events, go to:

     CowParade New York

    CowParade West Orange

     CowParade Stamford

In 2001, The Cows grazed in Houston and Kansas City. For more information on these exhibitions, go to:

     CowParade Houston

     CowParade Kansas City

In 2002, CowParade is scheduled to hit Sydney, Austrailia, London, England, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Montevideo, Uruguay. More information on these events will be posted soon.


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