Long Beach is getting ready for one of the region’s biggest events, the Grand Prix of Long Beach, which is set to return next weekend for its 51st year.
The three-day racing extravaganza, which draws nearly 200,000 people to Long Beach’s downtown and waterfront each year, is set to return from Friday to Sunday, April 17-19, offering tons of action for racing superfans and casual viewers alike. This year, however, will miss the presence of longtime Grand Prix leader Jim Michaelian, who died in March, though organizers plan on honoring his life and legacy this weekend.
Last year’s Grand Prix, the event’s 50th anniversary, broke attendance records for the third year running, with around 197,000 flocking to Long Beach from all over the region to enjoy the golden anniversary.
Besides those attendance records, the Grand Prix is also a major driver for the region’s economy. The 2024 event, for example, generated nearly $100 million in economic output in Southern California — $58.7 million of which was in Long Beach specifically.
The marquee Grand Prix of Long Beach is one of the most iconic races in the IndyCar Series. The drivers who zip around the 1.97 mile, 11-turn street circuit through some of Long Beach’s most well-known landmarks — at speeds up to 180 mph — widely consider it the second-most prestigious race, behind only the Indianapolis 500.
This year, for the first time, the Long Beach race will be the fifth in the IndyCar season — straying away from its traditional spot as the third stop on the circuit. That’s because the series added two new stops, at Phoenix International Raceway and in Arlington, Texas, as lead-ins to the iconic Long Beach race.
The first two races this season were the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Florida, and the Good Ranchers 250 in Arizona. While Spain’s Alex Palou, 29, took the championship in Florida, American Josef Newgarden, 35, reigned in Arizona.
But at the third race of the IndyCar season, the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington, it was Kyle Kirkwood — the reigning Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach champion — who took home the trophy.
Palou, though, came back for another win at the season’s fourth race on March 29, the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix, leaving many fans wondering if the Spaniard will claim his first win in Long Beach this year.
“We’re incredibly excited for the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and building on the energy of last year’s milestone celebration with an event that promises something for every kind of fan,” Jim Liaw, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, said in a Thursday, April 9, statement. “From world-class racing on the track to the unmistakable sights and sounds that make this weekend so special — the roar of the engines, the buzz of the crowds, great live entertainment and nonstop activity throughout the venue — fans can expect another memorable experience in the heart of Long Beach.”
Besides the titular Sunday afternoon race, this year’s Grand Prix will have plenty of other on- and off-track events to keep attendees entertained all weekend.
On Friday, practice and qualifying for all races will kick off — alongside the Super DRIFT Challenge practice and eliminations at 6:30 p.m. The first day of the Grand Prix will also feature a meet-and-greet with IndyCar drivers at 5:15 p.m., and the evening will be capped off with a performance from rapper and singer Lupe Fiasco as the Friday night concert headliner.
The singer, whose music includes “Superstar,” “Kick Push,” “The Show Goes On” and “Battle Scars,” will perform at 6:30 p.m. at the Terrace Theater Plaza. Anyone with tickets to the Grand Prix can attend the show for free.
Things will really kick off on Saturday, April 18, when the Speed Energy Stadium Super Trucks race, led by local favorite Robby Gordon; the Porsche Carrera Cup; and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championships all take place, alongside qualifying races for IndyCar.
The second day of the Grand Prix will also feature the first day of a doubleheader in the Historic Sports Car Challenge, featuring second-generation sports cars that ran in the Trans-Am Series from the 1970s through 1991, including vehicles from AMC, Audi, Chevrolet, Ford, Jaguar, Mercury, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Porsche, among others.
Those historic muscle cars, according to the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach, will be driven in two 20-minute races on both Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19.
This year’s Grand Prix will also have multiple Olympic and Paralympic athletes, who recently competed at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy with Team Honda, as grand marshals.
Grand marshals will include para alpine skier Audrey Crowley, 2026 para snowboarding bronze medalist Brenna Huckaby, 2026 sled hockey gold medalists Brody Roybal and Declan Farmer, 2026 two-time speedskating gold medalist and silver medalist Jordan Stolz, and bobsledder Kaysha Love.
The grand marshals, according to the GPALB, will help kick off the Sunday race with the iconic call to action: “Drivers, start your engines.”
“The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach has long embraced the tradition of honoring champions from across the sports world,” Liaw said, “and this year’s Grand Marshal group thrilled audiences around the world with their talent and determination at Milano Cortina 2026 — we are proud to celebrate their accomplishments here in Long Beach.”
Also off the track, the Kings of Chaos — a veritable supergroup of rock icons, including Megadeth’s James LoMenzo on bass and Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt on guitar — will headline the Grand Prix’s Saturday evening concert, which will also getting underway at 6:30 p.m. at the Terrace Theater plaza.
Kings of Chaos was founded by Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum, and the band is best known for its penchant for bringing on special guests during every performance. This year, the Saturday concert will feature performances from LIVE’s lead singer Ed Kowalczyk, 311 frontman Nick Hexum, singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc and Orianthi, a world-renowned guitarist.
Another special addition to the Grand Prix this year, a “CARnival” produced and operated by Morning Car Club, will take place on Sunday.
That event will feature a full paddock with a curated lineup of vehicles specifically chosen for their quality, design and presence, the GPALB said.
“This is exactly the kind of high-energy, enthusiast-driven experience that complements our event so well,” Liaw said. “Mornings has built something truly special within the automotive community, and their CARnival will add even more excitement, personality and fan engagement to an action-packed weekend.”
And there’s always the Lifestyle Expo, which is sponsored by AAA this year — stocked with more than 100 vendors, from toy car sellers to an In-N-Out truck to a high-tech racing simulator — for fans to check out 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.
But besides the usual entertainment and fanfare, this year’s Grand Prix will also pay tribute to the Michaelian, the longtime president and CEO of the Grand Prix of Long Beach Association, who died last month at 83 years old. The 51st Grand Prix was set to be Michaelian’s last at the helm of the GPALB before his planned retirement.
Michaelian played a crucial role in making the Grand Prix of Long Beach what it is today. Under his leadership, the Grand Prix became Long Beach’s biggest annual party, enjoyable for everyone from casual fans to hardcore motorsports lovers — and even the competitors. He also led the event through some challenging times, notably the COVID-19 pandemic.
His indelible legacy in Long Beach and motorsports will be memorialized during this year’s Grand Prix, according to the GPALB. A tribute video to Michaelian will be played during the pre-race of the IndyCar competition on Sunday, introduced by GPALB founder Chris Pook.
In addition, every car racing at the Grand Prix will carry a tribute sticker honoring Michaelian, and Acura intends to have a tribute to him as part of their display in the Lifestyle Expo.