Nightlife notes: Lowriders and Cinco de Mayo

By TOM HORGEN, Star Tribune

Last update: May 1, 2008 - 2:17 PM

Let's hope the weather will be right for tonight's Cinco de Mayo Festival in St. Paul. If it's all good, you'll have to check out the ninth annual Lowrider Car Show. Car connoisseurs will show off tricked-out rides that almost scrape the ground. Local sensation Maria Isa will perform twice with her nine-piece band (6 & 8 p.m.). At 6:30 p.m. the car show will have a "hydraulic showdown," with lowriders competing to see who has the best lift system. If you're thirsty, check out the beer and margarita gardens. The festival takes place near the corner of Cesar Chavez St. and Robert St. S. (4-9 p.m. today. Free. 651-222-6347. www.districtdelsol.com)

The conspiracy continues

Those scheming cartoonists are at it again. A large contingent of the local comic-book community -- collectively known as the Cartoonist Conspiracy -- is featured in a monthlong exhibit of comic art at the northeast Minneapolis gallery Altered Aesthetics. It kicks off tonight with a party of geeky proportions, where the Conspiracy will debut the third edition of "Lutefisk Sushi," its comic-book box set. This year, more than 50 cartoonists contributed. Kevin Cannon designed the box with a wild illustration of a giant fish rampaging through our city streets. Very frightening. For more info, check out this cool website: www.cartoonistconspiracy.com/sushi. (7-10 p.m. today. 1224 Quincy St. NE., Mpls. Free. 612-378-8888. www.altered esthetics.org)

Get bent

The kooky Bent Festival continues through the weekend at Intermedia Arts. The music fest celebrates the act of circuit bending, which is described on the event's website as "the act of modifying the circuitry of battery-powered children's toys to create strange, new, and unintended sounds for creative purposes." There are workshops during the day for aspiring benders and then concerts at night. (Concerts at 8 p.m. today and Sat. 2822 Lyndale Av. S. Mpls. $10. 612-871-4444. www.bentfestival.org)

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