Engines rumbled in the distance as classic oldies played in the background during the annual “King of the Streets” event Saturday hosted by the San Francisco Lowrider Council, drawing in thousands of attendees from around the Bay Area and over 300 lowriders cruising in and around the Mission District.

This year’s event marks the second anniversary of the event, which featured an art exhibit at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, a lowrider parade, a car show and a hopping competition, which is where customized lowrider cars compete to reach the highest distance from the ground to the bottom of the front tires for a $10,000 cash prize.

“There’s a lot of people, a lot of families, a lot of memories, and just good times,” said Mario Cisneros, who grew up in the Mission District.

A vibrant street parade features a classic black and red customized car driving down a sunny urban avenue lined with spectators and colorful storefronts.
Attendees line the streets and watch as lowriders pass by during the King of the Streets parade in the Mission District of San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The parade, hosted by the San Francisco Lowrider Council, took place along Mission Street between Cesar Chavez and 17 streets. (Julian Caballero/Bay City News)
A person wears a white baseball cap with "MISSION" embroidered in orange and black letters, standing outdoors under a bright blue sky with colorful flags in the background.
A DJ wearing headphones and sunglasses operates turntables and a mixer in front of a teal wall with graffiti.
Left: Mark Mavutas displays his hat that reads “Mission” during the King of the Streets event. Right: (L-R) Polo Gonzales, known as “DJ POLO G.,” and DJ Carlos Aguilar, known as “DJ Quest,” perform together during the King of the Streets event in the Mission District of San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Sept 19, 2026. (Julian Caballero/Bay City News)

Luis Valdez, playwright and filmmaker whose work includes the critically acclaimed “La Bamba” and “Zoot Suit,” served as grand marshal for the event.

“For 45 years, the San Francisco Lowrider Council has shown that our cars are not just cars, they are art, history, culture and resistance,” said Roberto Hernandez, founder and president of the San Francisco Lowrider Council, in a statement.

Car culture in the Mission District was once subject to aggressive anti-cruising enforcement by the San Francisco Police Department during the 1970s and 1980s. For the community, “King of the Streets” celebrates the Mission District’s rich Chicano and Latino heritage.

  • A vibrant red classic convertible cruises down a sunny street past a tall "New Mission" theater sign and palm trees.
    Lowriders drive down Mission Street during the King of the Streets lowrider parade in the Mission District of San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The parade, hosted by the San Francisco Lowrider Council, took place along Mission Street between Cesar Chavez and 17 streets. (Julian Caballero/Bay City News)
  • Two individuals sit on the hood of a car in a sunny urban street, one wearing a red hoodie and the other in a black tank top with tattoos and sunglasses.
    (L-R) James Mayse III and his father, James Mayse Jr., stand on the hood of their lowrider during the King of the Streets event in the Mission District of San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The annual event, hosted by the San Francisco Lowrider Council, draws thousands of attendees and hundreds of customized lowrider cars to the neighborhood. (Julian Caballero/Bay City News)
  • A large crowd gathers on a sunny street lined with palm trees and colorful storefronts, many wearing hats and casual clothing.
    A crowd watches the King of the Streets hopping competition in the Mission District of San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The annual event, hosted by the San Francisco Lowrider Council, draws thousands of attendees and hundreds of customized lowrider cars to the neighborhood. (Julian Caballero/Bay City News)
  • Two individuals examine leather belts at a market stall under a canopy, surrounded by colorful handmade goods and jewelry.
    Street vendor Adrian Rivera, right, helps customer and parade attendee Monica Padilla, left, during the King of the Streets event in the Mission District of San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Vendors selling everything from artisanal goods to food line the streets, inviting attendees to stop by and shop. (Julian Caballero/Bay City News)

Luis Alonso, a second-year attendee, said he returned because of the community and the lowrider scene.

“I’ve been dealing with lowriders since I was a little kid,” said Alonso.

The “King of the Streets” event has become a staple for the Mission District during National Hispanic Heritage Month in September.