Founding organizer Nick Hernandez Sr. said he saw this 43rd annual Tejano Super Car Show as a sort of rebuilding, a defense of the show’s credibility after an ice storm last year cut deep into attendance. But on Day 1, things looked good, with some 600 cars and an influx of attendees who drove hours or sometimes more than a day to the event so they could watch the ballet folklorico dancers, the bands and the low riders of myriad color and design.

Lucy Villanueva returned this year as the matriarch in a group of 15 from Hamlin and Abilene.

“I like seeing the new cars, the designs, the pictures on them,” she said as she waited in line for a food cart with four grandchildren. “To me, it’s awesome. And then, of course, there’s the food. Even though it’sabout to be Thanksgiving you’ve got to have a big turkey leg.”

It was particularly special for grandson Alejandro Ibarra, celebrating his eighth birthday.

“They’re fast and they’re awesome,” Alejandro said, pointing “to the one with the Cowboys flag and the green one” as his two favorites.

Revelers at night would dance to A.B. Quintanilla and the Kumbia Kings Allstarz, in keeping with what Hernandez described as desire for an “old school” atmosphere that evoked the years when low rider’s 8-tracks blared the music of Tejano megastar Selena y Los Dinos from their speakers. Quintanilla is the brother of the late Selena.

Today is the day they show of the hydraulics. On Saturday, this display was more or less limited to cars propped up with on wheel high off the ground.

Exhibitors came from as far away as Canada. Some were longtime attendees.

“It’s the same thing — big and awesome,” said Peter Cruz, visiting the car shows from Los Angeles since 2002. “It’s a brotherhood. We have nothing but love for everybody here.”

There were some regional variances among the decorations of the cars, like the gold wheels that Cruz said are more popular in Texas than California. But most variance comes from the low riders’ makers.

“There’s a lot of touches — not even regional but person-to-person and even behind the person,” Hernandez said. People dedicate cars to family and musicians, for example. “Others build just because they like it.”

Cruz’ showpiece this year was a restored 1953 Chevrolet 3100 truck that said “Baby Blue Eyes” under the hood. Joining him were his sister Lulu Garcia and her husband Lawrence Garcia, with their own cars.

Lawrence’s was dedicated to Lawrence Steven “Boo” Garcia, their teenage son who died of cancer in 2009. Since Boo’s death, his father and mother started a foundation — The Boo Foundation — that helps raise money for families of seriously ill children by putting on events like festivals with low-riders.

“It’s awesome because you can come out and see people create,” Lawrence Garcia said. “All cars aren’t the same. They make be a low rider. But there are different tastes and twists.”

They were in a car club — the Techniques Car Club, with chapters as far away as Japan. Many if not most claimed some sort of club affiliation.

Odessa is home to several: Club Sessions, Dominance, Taste of Latin (to which Hernandez belongs), among others.

Tranquilo club members posted up in Barn C with some 17cars and three bikes.

Member John Sanchez, touting his 1994 Cadillac Fleetwoood named “Testament,” painted shades of blue, green, aqua and teal and decorated with mirrors and lights.

The Tranquilo’s more than 40 members gather on weekends, but Sanchez said he looked forward to hanging out with the other clubs and seeing their cars.

“We don’t get together unless there is a big event like this,” Sanchez said. “We are just trying to keep the lowrider alive.”

“It’s not a hobby,” continued his friend and fellow member Eddie Lujan, there with his three children and “Smurf” colored Buick Regal. “It’s a lifestyle.”