Sep 21, 2025 - News

Lowriders light up Mission District in historic parade

Shawna Chen

Photo of people crowded into a street filled with parked lowrider cars of all different colors — Photo: Shawna Chen/Axios

The Mission District came alive on Saturday as San Francisco hosted the world's first-ever televised lowrider parade.

Why it matters: The parade, broadcast on CBS as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrates the legacy of Latino lowriders who organized in the 1980s to challenge racial discrimination and protect what's become a cultural art form.

Driving the news: More than 300 lowriders cruised through the streets Saturday afternoon, representing clubs from across the country.

Spectators cheered them on as they zig-zagged down Mission Street, some blasting music, others suspending a wheel in the air.

The intrigue: The King of the Streets hopping competition was the highlight of the day, with contestants operating the hydraulic systems in their lowriders to bounce toward the sky.

It was so packed that I was sadly unable to get a front row seat. But even from a distance, it was a spectacle to behold, as you can see below.

Gif of a blue car bouncing almost vertically in the middle of a crowd on the streets — This one looked as if it nearly stood vertical at one point. Its peak was recorded at 90 inches. Image: Shawna Chen/Axios

Zoom in: We got the chance to get up close and personal with many of the lowriders once they finished the parade route.

Here are some of the standouts.

Photo of an car's open front truck, revealing intricate pink and blue swirls on the mahogany paint — Photo: Shawna Chen/Axios

Photo of two mint-colored lowriders parked on the street as a woman takes a selfie beside one — People from all walks of life wandered down the street to check out each car. Photo: Shawna Chen/Axios

Photos of a black lowrider with its trunk lifted into the air and a green car with its front left wheel suspended in the air — It was my first time seeing a lowrider's suspension system operate right before my eyes. It was pretty amazing. Photos: Shawna Chen/Axios

Photo of a silver lowrider car's side, which shows an intriate graphic of a woman, car and bridge — The incredible detail on this artwork caught my eye. Photo: Shawna Chen/Axios

Photo of a lowrider decked out in blue, red, green and white — This was my personal favorite. The paint job... Chef's kiss. Photo: Shawna Chen/Axios

Photos of a green motorcycle on the left and a woman riding a purple motorcycle on the right — Also loved seeing these lowrider motorcycles weaving in between the cars. That green is my new favorite color. Photos: Shawna Chen/Axios

The big picture: Lowriding largely grew out of Mexican American culture after World War II and has since evolved into an expression of identity, community and sport.

It often led to racial discrimination and police brutality due to cruising bans based on false gang and crime-related stereotypes, according to the San Francisco Lowrider Council.

Roberto Y. Hernández founded the council in 1981 to challenge local police officers' racial profiling of young Latinos and later led a successful civil rights lawsuit against the city.
Like in years past, Hernández oversaw the historic 2025 parade, which was accompanied by the launch of an emergency relief fund to provide support for immigrant families impacted by ICE raids.

Pro tip: If you missed the fun, head over to CBS News Bay Area for footage of the event.

Add Axios on Google

Lowriders light up Mission District in historic parade

More San Francisco stories