Santa Barbara community historian, artist, and Independent Local Hero Michael Montenegro — known for curating the Instagram page @chicanoculturesb — will be hosting the annual Cinco de Mayo Mural Bike Ride on Monday, May 5, starting at 5 p.m. at Ortega Park.
The annual group ride features a historical tour through some of the city’s most important murals and public works of art, with Montenegro sharing stories behind the art and celebrating the city’s deep connection with Latino culture and the art of muralism. Montenegro, an avid cyclist and community advocate, has hosted art-centric bike rides each year for the past 10 years, something he says he started after being inspired by a similar mural ride he attended through the Boyle Heights neighborhood in East Los Angeles.
He began doing the group rides each year, sharing his love for Santa Barbara culture and its artists like Manuel Unzueta, a pioneer in muralism who is often considered the godfather of public art on the South Coast. Montenegro said that this year’s Cinco de Mayo Mural Bike Ride will be a “free, family-friendly” event “full of color, culture, and community.” The ride will travel around the downtown area and will finish with free tacos at Third Window Brewing Company.
This year’s ride is co-sponsored by Santa Barbara Association of Governments as part of the CycleMAYnia 2025 series of public rides and events. “Bring your bike, your friends, and your appetite,” Montenegro said.
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