The Cow Parade came to West Hartford, CT in 2003. The quote below from their site describes the event.

"For Art, For Charity, For Fun
CowParade is the world’s largest public art event. From Chicago and New York in 1999 and 2000 to Kansas City and Houston in 2001 and London in 2002, CowParade continues to evolve, not just in size, but in creativity and quality of art. While the cow sculptures remain the same, each city’s artists are challenged by the art from past events, inspired by the cultural influences of their respective cities, and moved by their own interpretation of the cow as an art object.

CowParade is not meant to be high art, however. It is first and foremost a public art exhibit that is accessible to everyone.

Most important, CowParade ultimately benefits charity."