SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It was a lifestyle that once was outlawed, but now the efforts to spread the lowriding movement through a holiday celebration, brought hundreds of people to Sacramento.
104 cars came to the Capitol City from 16 different California counties to celebrate the Inaugural California Lowrider Holiday Celebration.
As the cars descended onto Capitol Mall, it reflected something deeper -- culture, tradition and family.
“It's beautiful and it's epic that of all the roads that we celebrate this holiday on, it's right here at Capitol Mall in front of our Capitol building and in a beautiful (Tower Bridge),” said Carlos Molina, organizer of the event told ABC10.
The epic celebration brought people from San Diego, Los Angeles and the Bay Area for the state’s first ever lowrider holiday celebration.
“I get in my car, I drive and all my problems go away,” said Jose Monteon, of San Jose.
For Monteon and others, it goes beyond the colorful cars. They don’t call it a hobby; it's a lifestyle.
“Some people like hot rods, some people like race cars, and we like to ride low and slow, and we like to express ourselves on each car through our art, through our vision,” said Miguel Alatorre, of San Diego.
For some, it is hard to believe they are driving up and down Capitol Mall.
“We are not looked at as being illegal or being troublemakers,” said Sal Herrera, who is with the Sacramento Impalas. “We went from being harassed to, now, we're being accepted.”
It comes after decades of local policies banning cruising on roads. But last year, cities across California, including Sacramento, changed the laws and removed the “No Cruising” signs.
Molina said they felt their community was targeted.
“It's similar to separation of drinking fountains, or who could get access to what,” said Molina. “And when it comes to these roads, you have low riders with $80,000 vehicles and upwards of $300,000. They are taxpayers, and they deserve to ride these roads like anyone else.”
Through this event, Molina hopes to create a shift, so mainstream society better understands the Chicano neighborhood.
“Who would have thought that Capitol Mall would have become a dance floor for lowriding, but it did today and it will continue to be,” said Molina.
Molina said they are expected to unveil a limited-edition postage stamp honoring the lowrider celebration soon.
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