The World's largest hats are all over the place. For whatever reason, people love building these giant monstrosities, and more people love to gather and gawk. We've managed to compile a list of the most interesting giant hats for your viewing pleasure.
Cedars Bowler Hat - Dallas, Texas, USA
Just south of Downtown Dallas, resides Cedars Bowler Hat, the best of the world's largest hats, a massive hat structure that is 30 feet tall, 20 feet wide and weighs in at two tons. Artist Keith Turman created it for Timothy Oulton's vintage British furniture store. However, the location didn't have the space to install the sculpture, and their plan to house it on the roof of the building did not comply with the city's sign ordinance. Ultimately, they were unable to acquire the proper permit for the giant hat. Rather than destroying the installation after their original plan fell through, Timothy Oulton donated the hat to the neighborhood of the artist, Keith Turman. The bowler hat, which took about four months to produce, is a mix of wood, steel, fiberglass, epoxy, and rigid foam, and is located near the property of Structural Studio, an engineering consulting firm.
The Hat 'n'Boots - Oxbow Park, Seattle Washington, USA
In the heart of historic Georgetown in Seattle, Washington, lies Oxbow Park, which is home to the most unique of the world's largest hats, the Hat 'n' Boots. The Hat 'n' Boots features a giant 44ft wide Stetson cowboy hat and a pair of 22ft high boots. In 1953, a western style gas station hired Seattle-based artist Lewis Nasmyth to design and create the iconic landmark. It opened a year later in 1954 to a rush of customers, making it one of the busiest and most successful stations in the state. This thriving business and attraction hit a roadblock in the early 60's, when a brand new interstate, Interstate 5, started diverting traffic away from Route 99 and the station. By the late 80's this once successful symbol had run its course and was forced to close their doors. The buildings were famous examples of mid-century roadside Pop Art, and can even be seen in the opening credits of the film "National Lampoon's Vacation" The community of Georgetown came together to restore and relocate the landmark, and the move to nearby Oxbow Park, saved them from demolition.
Hat In Three Stages of Landing - Sherwood Park, Salinas, California, USA
The Hat in Three Stages of Landing are a great display of Pop Art Sculptures, from world-renowned artists, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. They were contracted in 1978 to create the sculpture and spent days exploring Salinas and the valley for inspiration. Oldenburg recalls, "It was a warm day. Everyone was wearing a hat. Everyone was wearing a different hat." The duo left with an idea for the tremendous sculptures, and the right design to represent the many cultures of Salinas. The artwork would be a hat blown in the wind, celebrating a diverse community that wore hats.
Angel Stadium of Anaheim - Anaheim, California, USA
The Angel Stadium is one of the oldest active MLB stadiums, following behind Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Dodger Stadium. The stadium's main entrance features two massive 649 1/2 size Angels Baseball caps, complete with New Era tags in the sweatband. The hats originally featured the Angels "winged" logo and a blue colored hat, which was designed by Disney in the 1997 season, but the hats were later repainted the current red color and fitted with the present day 'A' halo logo.
Big Tex - Fair Park, Dallas, Texas, USA
Big Tex welcomes you to the south, and is being housed at Texas's state fair grounds. Big Tex is a gigantic 55 foot tall figure that has become a cultural icon of Texas. He made his debut for the 1952 fair, but an electrical fire caused the original statue to burn down in 2012. The structure for Big Tex that reappeared in 2013 required much larger clothing than the original. The clothing is specially manufactured by the Dickies Clothing Company and most notably features a 75 gallon cowboy hat, a shirt with a 14-foot collar, 23 foot sleeves and weighs 130 pounds which is made from 150 yards of awning material and jeans featuring a 27-foot waist, 22 foot inseam and weighing 100 pounds, made from 100 yards of denim material. Big Tex generally receives a change in wardrobe every 3 seasons, and will be changed again in 2019.
Panama Hat Fountain - Becal, Campeche, Mexico
The small town of Becal in the Yucatán Peninsula is a center for trade in straw hats made from the area's toquilla plant. The tranquil town clearly identifies with its stock-in-trade, as shops throughout the small town sell Panama hats, and is also made obvious by the centerpiece of its plaza, this fountain made of stone Panama hats.
DPWH Helipad Cowboy Hat - Palacapao, Quezon Bukidnon, Philippines
At the top of the DPWH Overview Helipad in Palacapao, Quezon, Bukidnon is a breathtaking view of Bukidnon's rolling hills and mountains, and a fantastic cowboy hat sculpture. The helipad is right across the Overview Nature and Culture Park. The Overview Park is frequented by visitors often, but due to a challenging uphill walk, the helipad and its beautiful cowboy hat covered deck are not frequented as often. The helipad also features some ethnic inspired statues, which include a man riding a horse while waving his hat as if greeting travelers passing along the highway and a child riding a carabao while playing an indigenous musical instrument.
The Sorcerer's Hat - Disney's Hollywood Studios
The last in the list of the world's largest hats is the Sorcerer's Hat, a 122 foot tall wizard's hat which was an icon of Disney's Hollywood Studios. The hat was inspired by, and paid homage to Mickey Mouse's clothing choices in Disney's 1940 animated film Fantasia. The hat debuted in 2001 and remained a symbol of the park until it was removed in early 2015.
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