AUSTIN — If you drove down Congress Avenue in downtown Austin Friday, you might have noticed several occupied parking spots, not filled by cars, but by people celebrating what's widely known as "Parking Day."
Nearly 20 metered parking spots that are 8 feet wide by 12 feet long along Congress Street were covered by fake green grass and outdoor furniture.
"We stopped and saw what was going on but little did we realize we were in a parking spot," said Richard Rodman, who was visiting Austin for the week.
He said it's like a getaway from the chaos around Downtown Austin.
"An urban area like this has come to life here and that's rare," Rodman said.
As dancers showcase their work, music has taken over the sound of loud motors and horns.
"I'm wondering how the people in cars feel about driving by the parking spot if there's no spot for them," Rodman explained.
Many people like Rodman are taking over metered parking spots to celebrate "Parking Day," which is an annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into park spaces.
"Most people look at these spaces on a normal day and see it as a place to put a vehicle unoccupied for hours," said Paloma Amayo-Ryan, with the Department of Transportation for the City of Austin.
The idea of Parking Day is to make a small inconvenience to create a large conversation about development.
"The possibilities that can exist in a small confined ground," Amayo-Rayan said.
"The artistic pieces and the music are competing with traffic," Rodman explained.
This is the 13th year "Parking Day" is being celebrated around the world and the fourth year it's happening here in Austin. Approximately 20 installations were placed throughout downtown.