King of the Streets returns this weekend

Celebrate riding low and slow at the annual King of the Streets lowrider showcase and competition this weekend.

Why it matters: This year's event is special following last fall's statewide lifting of lowrider restrictions, which drivers and legislators alike had described as racially motivated or based on false gang and crime-related stereotypes .

Driving the news: Hosted by the San Francisco Lowrider Council, the competition takes place at the Palace of Fine Arts on Saturday, followed by a lowrider cruise on Mission Street at 5pm.

Context: Last year , Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 436 , removing lowrider restrictions from the state vehicle code that prohibited the bodies of cars riding too close to the ground.

• The law also revoked cities' abilities to prohibit coordinated displays of lowriders, known as cruises.
• Low-riding bans had been in place in Northern California cities like San Jose and Fresno for decades.
• San Francisco lowrider enthusiasts, however, successfully organized more than 40 years ago for the right to cruise in the city.

What they're saying: The Lowrider Council "exists due to our community's efforts to fight racial injustice," Roberto Hernández, founder of the Lowrider Council, said in a statement.

• Thanks to the passage of AB 436, he said, "we're able to channel our organizing efforts into more joyous occasions."

By the numbers: Hernández told Axios he expects about 2,000 people to attend the showcase at the Palace of Fine Arts, where there will be 300 lowrider exhibitors, plus 40 lowrider hoppers.

• About 1,500 lowriders are expected to participate in the cruise on Mission Street, he said.

What's next: The exhibition runs from 9am-4pm and costs $10 to attend.