Hello, My name is Cliff and I'm a Pezaholic. I've been collecting Pez for just over 2 years now and have quickly moved from completing the currents to chasing pez in the surrounding flea markets and antique stores. My friends and family often speak of having an "intervention". I found a wonderful way to merge Pez collecting with art.
The City of Houston has a festival each spring called "The Houston International Festival". For the last 9 years, At this festival, they have had an "Art Car" parade. It is the longest annually running parade in the nation. The Art Car Parade is a celebration of the American instituion known as the Automobile.
The parade consists of some 20 to 30 cars that have been transformed into anything from sharks to armadillos to skateboard rinks... Its wacky and wonderful. A perfect compliment to Pez. Every year, I go and tell myself: "I'm gonna do this Someday". Someday came last year.
I had a vision, a pezzy vision! I called and found out that I missed the entry deadline. So now I wait/plan/prepare for 10th Anniversary of the Art Car Parade.
The 1997 Houston International Festival is scheduled to begin April 17 and lasts for two weeks. This year's festivities begin with The Art Car Ball (4/17) and conclude w/ the parade downtown on Saturday (4/19). If you haven't been to The Ball before, it's an event you don't want to miss! So the Pez Art Car will make its first public appearance 4/19/97 in downtown Houston, Texas. Parade route varies.
My vision is to cover a car with Pez. Bumper to Bumper. I will be hot-glueing Pez dispensers on the surface of the car as tightly together as I can.
Why? Why not! I have always wanted to participate. Now I can combine my Pez collecting with the Art Car Parade! I can't wait.
Reality sets in.
Rough estimates of the number of pez required are as follows: Assume a volkswagen is roughly equal to half the surface area of a sphere of diameter 6 feet. That yields just over 450 square feet of surface area. Vertically staggering the pez so as to get them as close as possible gives me a coverage area of about 10 pez per square feet. Therefore, I need to gather something on the order of 4,500 Pez dispensers. Discount for the windshield and other windows and that gives you something on the order of 4,000 Pez dispensers.
I have at my disposal a 1984 Mazda B-2000 truck which is slightly different from a volkswagen so our "pez mileage" may vary. :) I am trying to find a larger car. Something I can cut the top off of and allow several folks to ride in during the parade. Until I land a "boat" of a car, the Mazda truck is the vehicle I'm using. A friend is volunteering his garage for a working area, so all I need now is PEZ!
How does one go about getting THAT MANY PEZ?!? I run the Pezhead Email List (an internet email list that is dedicated to the discussion of Pez collecting). We have some 400+ members at this time. Essentially, I nag them to send me pez dispensers. To that effect, several members have sent in pez for help in the project. At this time, we have gathered close to 500 "spare" pez dispensers.
As you can tell, we have quite a way to go, so any and all contributions are welcome.
Many of the Pezheads have sent the extra Pez that came from the Bubbleman Mail-in offer. (You know... The Muppets Pez used to make sure your Bubbleman was not injured during shipping). Others have sent in extras they had lying around. Someone even sent in a Power Pez! I've made arrangements with Amy Forsyth (Queen of the Pezhead Email list...) who is making a large pez briquette to go on the roof (perhaps 4 feet in size!). I see this as a collaborative effort. The more people participating the better it will be. I'm thinking it could be a mini-convention of sorts. Who knows?!?
Since the Pez will be exposed to the the weather and sun, these don't need to be new. They can be cracked, chipped, and or otherwise broken. From 15 to 20 feet, no one will know the difference. Don't send anything nice or that you want back. They will most likely melt in the sun or be pulled off by people "checking out the car".
I would love to have an "official" sponsor. So if anyone knows of a
large candy company that might want to help, let me know
I plan to take photos of the vehicle (after its all pezzed out). I'll # and sign them and send to each person who contributes. Essentially allowing others to participate from afar.
P.S. I used to host the Pezheads E-Mail List. The Pezhead E-Mail list is a system where people can exchange all sorts of information about collecting Pez. Subscription to the Pezheads Email list free!