Lowriders line Whittier Boulevard for annual East LA Christmas Cruise

Car enthusiasts decked out their rides for the holidays and rolled up to East Los Angeles on Sunday for the fourth annual East LA Christmas Cruise.

Lowriders, classics, hoppers and everything in between lined Whittier Boulevard, bumping music and spreading holiday cheer. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Christmas Parade was halted. With many community members missing their local parade, the lowrider community organized its own “low and slow” version, said organizer Lorraine Quiñones.

Born from Latinx and Chicanx culture in Southern California, cruising was once stigmatized and restricted by anti-cruising ordinances. In 2024, Assembly Bill 436 took effect, legalizing cruising in California and overturning a law considered outdated and discriminatory.