Thousands of Coloradans gather for food, culture and lowriders in Downtown Denver

Summertime has kicked off in Colorado and what would be better than gathering up on a beautiful day for nonstop biking, scooting, eating and checking out some sweet lowriders?

That's what thousands of people did in downtown on Sunday for ¡Viva! Streets Denver, an event that encourages people to check out the downtown scene. The Denver Art Museum also held the Lowrider Show and Shine exhibit, displaying plenty of lowriders slammed with Dayton wheels and cool hydraulic switches. 

Over the course of four Sundays, about 3.5 miles of downtown streets were closed to cars, so that people could walk, bike, roll, jog, scoot or even dance among several activity hubs.

RELATED: ¡Viva! Streets highlights Denver business community

"It's a fun, free, family-friendly event series this summer that will connect communities, specifically the Baker neighborhood and the Five Points neighborhood, along Broadway and Welton Streets," said Ellen Forthofer, manager of urban planning for the Downtown Denver Partnership.

Downtown Denver Partnership is basing ¡Viva! Streets on a tradition that has become popular in more than 400 cities in nearly 30 countries across Latin America.

An entertainment hub was also provided on South Broadway, Welton Street and Sonny Lawson Park. 

From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., there was free chess, free yoga classes, a bike rodeo for kids, a juggling workshop, free dance classes and historic neighborhood bike and walk tours. Plus, individual businesses offered their own activities during ¡Viva! Streets. 

RELATED: Coloradans bike, walk and dance through downtown Denver for first time at Viva Streets

As the streets were filled with Coloradans, earlier this week the Denver Art Museum introduced its newest exhibition, celebrating the Chicano car culture that took root in the barrios of the southwestern U.S.

"Desert Rider" is filled with art inspired by lowriders and the lowrider culture, but it's not just pinups and raflas. Like a lowrider, the works included are reflections of the artists.  

RELATED: Lowriders cruise into the Denver Art Museum's newest exhibition

"The lowrider is an integral part of the Southwestern landscape. Here in Denver, we have over three decades of proud low riding tradition," said Victoria Lyall, the Jan and Frederick Mayer Curator of Art of the Ancient Americas.

The Denver Art Museum is also offering a free day at the museum for ¡Viva! Streets Denver. 

For more information on ¡Viva! Streets Denver, visit: https://bit.ly/3XKNerv. 

For more information on the Desert Rider exhibit being viewed at Denver Art Museum, visit: https://bit.ly/44ihYCH