Farmington Museum is hosting the Smithsonian's "Lowrider Culture in the United States" traveling exhibit through July 25, 2026. The museum added its own touches: three lowrider cars, three motorcycles and artwork inside, plus a Park and Chill car show in the parking lot with live music and food vendors. Museum director Nathan Augustine says the event brought out a broad slice of the community and highlighted the strong connection between lowrider culture and Northern New Mexico's Hispanic heritage. The museum is targeting September or October 2027 for a follow-up event during Hispanic Heritage Month. If you're a lowrider or connected to the culture, reach out to curator Michelle Zupan at the Farmington Museum to get involved.

By Tanner Waite

Watch this story at LNN.news

This story is sponsored by Dickey's Barbecue Pit and Fitness World.

Southwest Colorado's mountains are celebrated today as a playground — but for Peggy Montaño, they have always meant something more. As a descendant of Hispano sheepherders with deep roots on both sides of her family in northern New Mexico and the Ignacio area, Peggy grew up understanding these peaks as a place of labor, sacrifice, and identity. In this podcast episode, she reflects on why she felt called to write and share this story — and why she believes understanding the full history of a place matters not just for those living here now, but for the generations still to come. It is a thoughtful, personal meditation on what it means to belong to a landscape, and to honor the people who shaped it long before recreation ever entered the picture.

The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage.

By Peggy Montaño

This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater Hotel

Watch the full Voices of the Past: Southwest Colorado series on our YouTube.

Durango has a busy Memorial weekend ahead with the 23rd Annual Downtown Clean Day on Friday, May 22, the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic running Saturday and Sunday, and the Narrow Gauge 10 Mile Run on Sunday, May 24.

By Sadie Smith

Watch this story at LNN.news

This story is sponsored by Serious Texas Bar-B-Q and Durango Gelato, Coffee & Tea.