As his wife drives his 1950 custom, chopped Mercury along the parade route, Phillip Retamoza plays a Carlos Santana tune on his guitar, amplified from the car trunk. (Dan Coyro -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)
“Low and slow” vehicles from the local car club Boulevard Bombs will literally cruise into Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose to kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month on Saturday, Sept. 14, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Through Sunday, Oct. 13, the museum will explore Latino culture via hands-on art activities, special programs and themed workshops.
During the kickoff event, Phillip Retamoza, known locally as the Purple Car Singer, will perform throughout the day from his custom-designed, purple 1952 Mercury Lowrider bomb—a fully equipped mobile entertainment center.
Author and digital artist Ricardo Cortez will read from his book, “The ABCs of Lowriding,” at 11 a.m. Cortez will also host a Q & A session and facilitating an art activity.
Lowriders and their owners will be in Bill’s Backyard at the museum on Saturdays throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. Other activities include a Studio M Ballroom Dance exhibition and lesson on Sept. 28, a Lucha Libre presentation of wrestling moves and history and an exhibition match on Oct. 5, screenings of Spanish heritage films in the museum’s theater on Oct. 12 and a performance by Grupo Folklorico Los Laureles Juvenil on Oct. 13.
Crafts include making paper bag pinatas on Oct. 10 and maracas on Oct. 13, and creating paper picado art on Oct. 12.
Children’s Discovery Museum is open Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Admission is $16-$18 at cdm.org.
Originally published at Anne Gelhaus