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Photo Essay

This Is How Lowriders In L.A. Do Mexican Independence Day

A photo essay featuring lowriders, bombs, and all kinds of custom rides cruising in true L.A. style. Even LAPD shutting down an entrance couldn't completely ruin the family-friendly day.

4:38 PM PDT on September 14, 2026

a brown classic car in the middle of a palm tree-lined road

Photo by Erwin Recinos for L.A. TACO.

All photos by Erwin Recinos.


Highclass Car Club celebrated Los Angeles Mexican Independence Day this Sunday in true L.A. style, with a lowrider cruise and family picnic in Elysian Park that brought a close to the summer car show season. 

A banda blasted corridos in the park, which you could hear the second you entered on Stadium Way and Scott Avenue, while a full lineup of lowriders, bombs, and custom cars took turns cruising the quarter-mile stretch. This highly anticipated car show was talked about for a few weeks, a triumph given the drama that past events had gone through at this location.

However, before noon, LAPD was also cruising the streets and eventually shut down the entrance for other latecomers to the day cruise. 

That did not deter event attendees as the crowd did begin to grow and take over the street. Another successful car show for the books and the lowrider community. Check out Erwin Recinos' photos of the day.

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