Graffiti car parade to roll through Modesto. Where to expect road closures
Modesto’s annual celebration of vintage chrome and cruising culture returns Friday, June 6, with a classic car parade that will shut down a busy stretch of McHenry Avenue for several hours.
The parade, a signature event of the Graffiti Summer festivities, kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and will feature about 1,000 pre-1980 classic cars cruising the same route made famous in George Lucas’ 1973 film, “American Graffiti.”
To accommodate the event, Modesto police will close McHenry Avenue to vehicle traffic between Briggsmore Avenue down to I and J streets between 10th and 17th streets downtown, from 3 to about 9 p.m. Drivers are encouraged to take alternate routes and prepare for traffic delays in the area.
The parade kicks off a weekend full of Graffiti-themed events sponsored by the North Modesto Kiwanis Club. The Graffiti Festival and Car Show continues Saturday and Sunday at Modesto Junior College’s West Campus, 2201 Blue Gum Ave. The two-day event will showcase hundreds of classic cars, along with live music, food trucks and retail vendors.
This story was originally published June 6, 2025 at 10:50 AM.
