The Blessing of The Lowriders is a vibrant, intergenerational celebration of faith, culture, and community in Southwest Detroit. Through creativity, tradition, and shared space, the Blessing honors lowrider culture through a gathering that fosters connections and strengthens community ties.
Founded in 1998 by Victor Villalobos at Ste. Anne’s Catholic Church, the Blessing of The Lowriders began as a way to leverage culture to bring local youth, the faith community, and neighborhood residents together—a means to break through stereotypes each group held about each other.
The Blessing is a vibrant, intergenerational celebration of faith, culture, and community in Southwest Detroit. Through creativity, tradition, and shared space, the Blessing honors lowrider culture through a gathering that fosters connections and strengthens community ties.
“We were introducing the church to younger people that are different from what they see and taking younger people… and introducing them to church. It was just trying to get two different kinds of people… in the same backyard to talk.”
It quickly became a cherished annual event, blending artistry and spirituality to create a space for connection and understanding.
The event’s early years inspired the creation of the HHEETT Wall (Hip-Hop Elements Exposed Throughout Time), an enduring symbol of youth empowerment and cultural collaboration in Southwest Detroit rooted in graffiti, DJing, breakdancing, and MCing. Since the Wall’s creation, these elements of hip-hop have been allied with the Blessing.
In 2010, during an extended pause for the beloved event, Inside Southwest Detroit approached Victor about partnering to revive the Blessing and preserve its legacy. For the past 15 years Inside Southwest Detroit has worked with local organizations and car clubs, including the Detroit chapters of Uso, GoodTimes, and Majestics, as well as Motor City Street Dance Academy and Grace In Action each year to ensure this tradition continues to thrive.
“When you reach out to a kid… you want to see what they’re into. Some of my kids at the time were into breakdancing, some were into graffiti. You have to capture what a community is into… and reinforce that it’s important.”
Lowriding is not just about the cars, and neither is the Blessing of The Lowriders. Through the annual event, we offer blessings and gratitude as a community for shared passions as an engine for building relationships and understanding.
Lowrider culture fosters belonging and identity not only through the cars themselves, but in the rituals and spaces they inhabit—like cruising, picnics, and car shows. The Blessing, in this tradition, extends an invitation to the broader community into this cultural practice of gathering that builds camaraderie in the lowrider community.
Each year the Blessing is hosted at a partnering location, always adjacent to local homes and businesses. By hosting in residential neighborhoods, the event brings lowrider culture directly to the community, offering a tangible connection to its roots.
Garage Cultural, 4670 Junction + 3439 Livernois, Detroit
Grace In Action, 1725 Lawndale, Detroit
Motor City Street Dance Academy, 6509 Michigan Ave, Detroit
Plaza del Norte, 2835 Bagley St, Detroit
Ste Anne’s Catholic Church, 1000 Ste Anne St, Detroit
555 Gallery, 2801 W. Vernor Hwy, Detroit
The Blessing is a community celebration featuring lowriders, breakdancing and live performances, family-friendly activities, food, art, and a ceremonial blessing of vehicles. It’s a day of creativity that invites everyone to engage with one of Southwest Detroit’s vibrant cultural traditions.
A heartfelt tradition of blessing vehicles and celebrating community.
A showcase of cars and bikes, including youth-crafted works of art that serve as an entry point to the culture.
Motor City Street Dance Academy organizes a dynamic jam, drawing b-boys and b-girls from across the Midwest to compete and inspire, while offering information and opportunities to join classes.
Local small business owners offer delicious tacos and more.
Youth and community-led documentation is prioritized at the Blessing to center and uplift local wisdom and experience in storytelling.
Garage Cultural, 4670 Junction + 3439 Livernois, Detroit
Grace In Action, 1725 Lawndale, Detroit
Motor City Street Dance Academy, 6509 Michigan Ave, Detroit
Plaza del Norte, 2835 Bagley St, Detroit
Ste Anne’s Catholic Church, 1000 Ste Anne St, Detroit
555 Gallery, 2801 W. Vernor Hwy, Detroit
Join us for the next Blessing of The Lowriders! Whether you’re a long-time enthusiast, a first-time visitor, or a local resident, there’s something for everyone.
We need your support! Consider donating time or resources to ensure the Blessing continues to thrive. Volunteers are essential for greeting visitors, sharing information, and guiding lowriders to designated areas.
Follow Inside Southwest Detroit on social media for event updates, and contact us for media inquiries or volunteer opportunities.
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Hyperlinks and/or Boxes For More Information: Partners, Sponsors, Meet the Organizing Committee, and FAQs
Lasting change happens when people are inspired and invested, not just instructed.
Many traditional systems enforce change through power, control, and urgency-driven mobilization—relying on opposition and other external pressures to drive action.
We believe lasting impact is made accessible through igniting creativity, curiosity, and a shared sense of purpose that also meets our collective needs.
