The 50th annual Grand Prix of Long Beach has finally arrived.
The Ocean Boulevard entrances have opened for Day 1 of Southern California’s 200-mph beach party on Friday, April 11, with a smattering of race fans strolling into the concourse.
Gates officially opened at 7:30 a.m. Friday, with the day’s first event, GT America’s first practice race, scheduled to kick off at 7:45 a.m.
Friday morning is typically the slowest part of the three-day weekend, with people still in work and school, and a relatively light schedule early, compared to Saturday and Sunday. But the crowds tend to pick up in the afternoon.
And the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is one of the region’s biggest events, drawing nearly 200,000 people each year and generating millions for the regional economy.
Last year’s Grand Prix toppled attendance records, with about 194,000 visiting Long Beach over the event’s three-day run. The event is also a major driver for the region’s economy, with the 2024 iteration generating nearly $100 million in economic output in Southern California — $58.7 million of which was in Long Beach specifically.
The first day of the Grand Prix, meanwhile, will be packed with plenty to see and do both on and off the race track, as the event marks its golden anniversary with special offerings leading up to the titular race on Sunday.
This year, Long Beach will be the third race in the IndyCar Series season.
The first two races this season were the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (in Florida) and the Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix. Alex Palou, 28, won both of those — leaving fans wondering if the Spaniard will start the 2025 season off with a hat trick in Long Beach this weekend.
But the Grand Prix — which will take place on Sunday afternoon and will be 90 laps this year, instead of the usual 85 — isn’t the only thing that will captivate visitors.
This year’s Grand Prix will also feature several new additions, both on and off the track, that will celebrate the event’s future while honoring its past.
Other racing events getting underway Friday include practice and qualifying sessions for IMSA and the NTT IndyCar Series, alongside the first Super Drift Challenge at 6:30 p.m.
Off the track, Friday’s attendees can explore the Lifestyle Expo — stocked with more than 100 vendors, from toy car sellers to an In-N-Out truck to a high-tech racing simulator — at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center.
There’s also the Food Truck Village, Family Fun Zone and plenty more for fans to check out over the weekend.
Day 1 activities will conclude with the Grand Prix’s traditional Fiesta Friday concert, featuring DJ duo DVBBS — known for hits such as “Tsunami,” “La La Land” and “Not Going Home” — who will deliver an electric set at the Terrace Theater Plaza.
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