For decades, lowrider culture had an outlaw stigma — long associated with gangs and criminal activity. Some cities and states even cracked down on custom cars through bans on cruising and lowrider modifications. Those stereotypes are now giving way to mainstream popularity and official recognition.
The U.S. Postal Service released a lowrider-themed collection of Forever Stamps in San Diego earlier this year. And the Smithsonian Institution is embracing the culture through an exhibition, “Cultura Lowrider en los Estados Unidos,” that will be traveling across the country through 2029.
It’s supposed to be making stops in Scottsdale, Tucson, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas and California. Meanwhile, here in Arizona, a small Valley town with deep lowrider roots has just celebrated a major milestone for its marquee car show.
‘They all want to come this way’
An adobe-style mercado along South Avenida del Yaqui in Guadalupe is typically home to a barbershop, restaurant and even a boxing ring. But each April, this fenced-off patio in the heart of the tiny town — just east of Phoenix — turns into a jam-packed parking lot.
It’s full of colorful lowriders — all sorts of makes and models.
“Back in the days when we first started, we only had over 12 cars just inside of the plaza,” said Guadalupe Car Show promoter Miguel Alvarado. “Six cars over here on this side, and six cars on the other side. So it was kind of empty.”
He, along with his Guadalupe car club, Intimidations, kickstarted this tradition back in 2000. It’s become a lot bigger since then.
“Now, we got 400, maybe this year we might have 500, because everybody’s all excited. They all want to come this way," Alvarado said.
Lowrider enthusiasts converge in Guadalupe from Valley suburbs like Mesa and Maricopa, from Tucson and Yuma, California and even south of the border, as far away as Chihuahua, Mexico.
On this Saturday, Alvarado has been up since the wee hours waiting for hundreds of custom cars to roll in — ahead of Sunday’s show. It's a responsibility he takes very seriously.
![Car show promoter Miguel Alvarado [right] prepares the plaza along with organizers inside the Guadalupe Mercado on April 25, 2026.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3b732f6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5560x4170+0+0/resize/840x630!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F44%2F3e%2F1769336646bdaf8208dfcbb9555b%2Fguadalupe-car-show-miguel-alvarado-set-up-gp-20260425.jpg)
“Everybody that brings a car to me is very important and real special, because they’re like the main people that put this show together,” said Alvarado. “I’m just like the little guy, and they’re the ones that make it happen.”
For the last quarter century, the Guadalupe Car Show has grown into arguably Arizona’s most popular lowrider gathering — even running out of space last year. Organizers had no choice but to turn some cruisers away.
Unlike the AZ Super Show at State Farm Stadium, Guadalupe’s annual lowrider attraction has no admissions fee. The rival show draws mostly out-of-towners, and many from overseas, including Germany, Mexico and Brazil.
Fifty-seven-year-old Rick Dominguez, who is president of the Phoenix-based Legendary Bombs car club, goes to both shows but prefers Guadalupe’s, explaining that it feels like a family reunion each year.
“But for us, we like to stick to the homegrown stuff, and I think that’s why we all love this show,” said Dominguez. “To me, [Guadalupe] is more of a friendly, homegrown show and [Alvarado] has been making it happen. He takes care of everybody. It’s free, for heaven’s sake, you’re not charging crazy money.”
Much like any parking situation, the best spots in Guadalupe are available on a first-come basis. Some drivers arrive really early to stake their turf, like 51-year-old Carlos Rosales, who has snatched one corner of this mercado for Klique PHX.
“Before I joined the club, they’ve been in the same spot for more than the eight years I’ve been here,” said Rosales. “We see all our old friends here and we get to spend time with all the other clubs, too, so it’s a good time.”
He’s president of the local Klique chapter — a storied club that emerged from the streets of East Los Angeles decades ago. Now, it has gained a global following — even in Japan.
As the lowrider scene keeps growing both here and abroad, Rosales believes family bonds become stronger, too, saying “everybody’s growing up, and they’re starting to get into their family cars.”
As for Ernie Flores, lowriding is literally a family affair. Born and raised in Guadalupe, he was once with the Intimidations crew, but then founded his own club, Somos Familia in Tempe. His group is made up of 10 or so members.
“Familia is just our family: my wife, my dad, my mom, my grandkids, my kids.”
Their collection, which spans generations, occupies another plaza corner.
It includes his own chopper, his wife’s El Camino, his father’s ‘39 Chrysler Royal, and a bunch of eye-popping pedal bikes belonging to his children. One in particular that stood out was a chromed-out purple bicycle with a built-in speaker box.
“This is my son’s. We built this back when he was about 8 years old. He’s 18 now, and he’s still showing this,” added Flores. “They’re all my favorites. In our club, we don’t disgrace on anything. If we win, we all win. We lose, we all lose.”
“I’ve been in the game since I was about 10 years old, with my parents and all that. And I’m 43 now. For these youngsters, look at what you guys can do, you know, and keep your mind straight.”
‘This represents who we are, the best of our community’
The next day, main street through the less than a square-mile town was shut down. Rows and rows of cars lined the sidewalks as watchers weaved through the maze of parked vehicles.
This melting pot of a small town made up of roughly 5,000 residents — mostly Latinos and Pascua Yaquis, who are Indigenous to Sonora, Mexico — came out for this special occasion, the 25th anniversary of the Guadalupe Car Show.
“Isn’t this beautiful? This is truly culture,” said Danny Ortega, a Phoenix personal injury attorney and local Latino leader. “This is a legacy. This is something that you will leave to your children, their children, to theirs and to be extremely proud of this culture. This represents who we are, this represents the best of our community.”
The lowrider stigma has not been completely stripped.
Cruising remains outlawed by Phoenix and some other Arizona cities, but the gang stereotype is fading away. California repealed its statewide cruising ban in 2024, and similar measures have been proposed in recent years at the Arizona Legislature.
This culture is so much more than just cars.
It also has a lot to do with charity.
From back-to-school to the holiday season, car clubs, including Guadalupe’s own Intimidations, have regularly donated backpacks, school supplies, haircuts and food for local children.
Those acts were formally recognized by Democratic state Sen. Catherine Miranda in a proclamation dedicated to the 52-year-old Alvarado, where she described him as “the driving force behind one of the largest car shows in the Southwest.”
And thanks to Arizona Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari — whose district includes Guadalupe — Alvarado, the Intimidations club and the rest of the town will forever be etched in the U.S. Congressional Record for their contributions.
Alvarado was touched by the tributes, but told the crowd at this year’s show it wouldn’t have been possible without all of them, stressing: “Not me, it’s all of you guys, because without you guys, there’s no Guadalupe Car Show.”
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