Albuquerque Isotopes and City Council President Klarissa Peña Announce Lowrider Culture to be Celebrated at Sunday’s Mariachis Game

City Council President Klarissa Peña joined John Traub, Albuquerque Isotopes Vice President/General Manger, to announce that the final Mariachis de Nuevo México game of the season on Sunday, August 11, 2019 will feature a display of around 50 vehicles inside and around Isotopes Park to celebrate Albuquerque’s vibrant Lowrider culture.

“The Isotopes are proud to be part of the fabric of this community and we enjoy our role of being involved in the diverse culture that makes up Albuquerque, said Isotopes General Manager John Traub. Lowriders, like baseball, are pillars in the quality of life in the Land of Enchantment.”

Sunday’s game against the Round Rock Express begins at 6:05 P.M., but the Isotopes and Councilor Peña suggest showing up early to take a look at some of the City’s finest lowriders, including Councilor Peña’s own pink Cadillac. The Isotopes Park gates will open early at 4:00 P.M. as the first 3,000 fans will receive a Ballet Folklórico Bobbleheads, courtesy of Pepsi.

Councilor Peña, along with the Albuquerque Police Department also announced that APD will be upgrading an older Crown Victoria police vehicle and turning it into a lowrider. The rebuild will feature numerous classic lowriding features, including a custom paint job, and will be built with at-risk youth from the Albuquerque community. Game attendees will have the opportunity to vote on different color schemes for the car.

“The APD lowrider will be used as a community policing vehicle and displayed at community events. In keeping with the community policing model, we wanted police officers to build this lowrider with young people from our community, to show the positive creations that can happen when we work together,” said Councilor Peña.

APD is currently taking submissions from young artists for a mural to be placed on the vehicle’s hood. The winning submitter will be given scholarship money to help pay for educational expenses. Applicants must be 18 years old and younger and currently enrolled in school. Designs and forms must be submitted to the APD Southwest Area Command at [email protected], by October 18, 2019. APD will be present at Sunday’s Mariachis game to give more information to those that may be interested.

Councilor Peña also announced that the City of Albuquerque will soon be rolling out the new Special Interest Vehicle Program. The program is intended to promote special interest vehicles, both solo riders and car club activities on public streets and public spaces in a way that improves public safety, facilitates more efficient traffic flow, and supports economic activities associated with cruising, special vehicle enthusiasm, and cultural tourism. The program includes the opportunity for solo riders or car clubs to receive and display speciality license plate toppers to show their support from the City and increase visibility of their activities.

The Special Interest Vehicle Program has been in development after the Council passed R-18-66 last year, following the City’s Cruising Task Force recommendation. The City’s Cultural Services Department will administer the program and has developed this program with City Council staff and APD staff.

Councilor Peña continued, “It’s exciting to see our municipal government and community partners celebrating our lowrider and cruising culture. I want to thank APD and the Cultural Services Department for their work on the Special Interest Vehicle Program and a special thank you goes to the Isotopes staff for their work to be inclusive of not only lowrider, but Hispanic culture in Albuquerque. Their work is a shining example, as they were recognized as the Copa de la Diversion winner last winter and recently voted the best Copa de la Diversion identity in all of Minor League Baseball.”