On Sunday Sept. 21, the annual Lowrider Parade and King of the Streets hopping competition stunned crowd members in the Mission District, kicking off National Hispanic Heritage Month. The parade was televised for the first time this year, allowing for a larger outreach. That didn’t stop thousands of spectators from showing up to watch over 500 lowriders coast and hop down Mission St. The cars are set on hydraulics, making them able to transform into lowriders at the push of a button.
Participants showed off their glimmering, colorful lowriders, tipping and hopping them down the street leaving audience members in awe. “It was really cool seeing all the lowriders up close in a parade setting. I’d definitely rather watch them like this than drive next to them,” crowd member Diego Hernandez said. The King of the Streets hopping competition hosted by the San Francisco Lowrider Council had onlookers gasping as cars bounced in the air in an effort to win the $10,000 prize and the title of “King of the Street.”
Lowriders of all styles and colors cruised down the block with many participants bumping their favorite songs and waving to the crowd. Mexican flags rippled through the air with pride on the back of the cars, with one car even having the flag painted onto the hood. Other lowriders displayed gold rimmed tires, vibrant stripes and neon headlights. Those without cars joyfully biked down the street on motorcycles and recreational bicycles.
Lowriders gained popularity during World War II when car culture was embraced as a symbol for the American Dream. For Mexican-Americans, the lowrider became a source of pride and avenue for community building. Over the years, California has passed several anti-cruising laws that target the Mexican-American community and perpetuate stereotypes that associate cruising with gang violence. In 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 436, repealing old legislation in order to ban local governments from regulating against cruising and lowriders.
The event brought together community members, and even had guests from other areas of the Bay. “We are from Vallejo and there are cars from Vallejo. There are cars from all over the Bay, not from all over the world, but all over the United States,” Jake Thomason said, who was in town for Portola. The unique collection of cars fascinated attendees and provided lasting memories. Attendee Paul Riccardi said, “I grew up in San Francisco so I have been around this area all my life…so it is a really amazing experience to see.”
The parade allowed for the Mexican-American community to find an avenue of expression during this time of increased demonization and violence towards Latino communities.
“It is just nice to see the Latino community come out and represent and bring all of these beautiful cars,” Thomason said. Lowriding through the Mission gave audience members a thrilling experience and uplifted community spirit. “As a Mexican-American, I love seeing my community come together to celebrate the culture and being a part of that is really amazing too,” Hernandez said.
