The 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is just around the corner — and our readers have a chance to attend the event’s first day for free.

But there is a catch: You’ll have to read your local paper.

Long Beach’s 200-mph beach party — a three-day motorsport showcase packed to the nines with live entertainment — will return to the city’s downtown area from April 19 to 21.

The event, one of Long Beach’s most popular, usually attracts around 180,000 people over its three-day run. Last year’s Grand Prix drew a record 192,000 spectators.

Tickets for the 2024 iteration are on sale now. There are various ticket prices, ranging from $40 for Friday general admission to $120 for three-day general admission — and as much as $1,275 for the VIP packages, depending on which one you choose.

Readers, though, can get once again get their hands on a free general admission ticket for the first day of the Grand Prix of Long Beach — on Friday, April 19 — by cracking open one of the 11 daily newspapers owned by the Southern California News Group on select days.

The Free Friday promotion, which has a $40 value, will run inside SCNG’s daily newspapers every Friday and Sunday until April 19. The next opportunity to get the free ticket is Friday, March 15.

The papers in which the promotion will appear are:

The Press-Telegram.
Daily Breeze.
Los Angeles Daily News.
Pasadena Star-News.
Whittier Daily News.
San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
Orange County Register.
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.
San Bernardino Sun.
Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Redlands Daily Facts.

You can also access the tickets via the e-edition for each publication online.

Though the event’s main event — the IndyCar Series’ Grand Prix of Long Beach — concludes the weekend on Sunday, April 21, first-day attendees can watch practice runs for all six racing series — from IndyCars to those that drift — and qualifying for some others.

General admission ticket holders can also check out the Grand Prix’s lifestyle expo, family fun zone and an exotic car paddock.

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And there will be plenty of food — including tons of options at food truck row — alongside myriad vendors set up along the concourse, which envelops the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Rainbow Lagoon Park, The Pike and Shoreline Drive.

For ticket packages for the entire Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach or other information, go to gplb.com.