Low riders, banda music, street tacos: Milwaukee's El Grito Car Show welcomes families

One word was repeated more than any other Saturday at the 5th annual El Grito Car Show and Festival on Milwaukee's South Side: Family.

But at times, it had to be said especially loud to be heard over the banda music, revving engines and record crowds that filled South 5th Street between West National Avenue and West Virginia Street.

This year's event drew families, tourists and, of course, auto fanatics, for the music, food, raffle, cars and a break-dancing competition.

Javier Dehoyas attended the event with his son and spoke about what it meant to have a safe space in the city.

“I feel comfortable bringing my son out to enjoy this event with me. I know at the moment Milwaukee's really not the safest place, but hey, it's got to start somewhere,” said Dehoyas, “You know, this has a big impact, too. We can keep the BS out of the way and keep it family-friendly.”

Dehoyas is a Los Angeles native and has been embedded in low-rider culture from a young age. He said that using that culture to bring people together is how you help communities heal and grow.

“Low riders were once associated with a bad image, and I saw in L.A. when we came together to change that image, now I’m in Milwaukee and it’s something I can be proud of, something I can teach my son,” he said.

Tania Salinas spoke about how the event can be a reflection of her community and a bridge to others.

“What’s happening here is really important because we have a chance to show our culture and that way people get to know us more,” said Salinas.

She also said that the event allows the city to see the values that mean so much to members of Milwaukee’s Latino community.

“This is who we are, we might not know you during the week but when we get together here, we are a family.”

Some people literally walked into the event

Milwaukee couple Sara Kowalczyk and Nate Everest were simply a Saturday walk when they stumbled upon the car show — and were floored.

“This is a beautiful event and it’s why we love living in Milwaukee,” said Everest, “There is so much culture in this city and to be able to experience it here is great.”

Kowalczyk mentioned that she enjoyed the live performances of banda and regional Mexican music that she normally would not be exposed to.

“The music has been really cool, and just to see everyone dancing and having a good time has been a lot of fun,” she said.

Both Kowalczyk and Everest mentioned that their favorite cars were the ones that were propped up on three wheels with the fourth suspended in the air.

Eric Ramos, President of the Milwaukee chapter of the Ranflitas Car Club, smiled as he perched next to his favorite car — a 1935 Packard with the words “carnalismo o nada” emblazoned on the back. In Spanish, the words mean “brotherhood or nothing,” a motto Ramos and his group embrace.

“This was the point that we wanted to make. A lot of people don’t know what low riders are all about, what the culture is all about,” said Ramos. “So we wanted to show them how we roll, and really let them see that it’s all about family.”

Ramos talked about Milwaukee's continuing role welcoming immigrants and new residents to the city.

“We live in times that are changing, and we're accepting, but we still want to let all our new neighbors know that they're living in a Latino community,” he said, adding later, "We want to make sure we keep giving them that Latino spice, you know, in a positive way, in a respectful way.”

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's El Grito Car Show puts Latino culture on display