Road, thunder and pageant this week

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach gets officially underway Friday, but the unofficial start happens the days before with Roar in the Shore, the Miss Toyota Grand Prix pageant and Thunder Thursday.

ROAR IN THE SHORE

Residents will definitely hear some noise coming from Belmont Shore from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday for the fifth aual event. Race cars, exotic cars, race car drivers, as well as stunt motorcyclists and race simulators will be on hand during the event.

Three or four teams from the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach are expected to be there, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis and a 1990s Indy Car are among those that will be showcased. Crowd favorites will be there once again, including stunt motorcyclists Tony Carbajal, Joe Dryden and stunt driver Webster Whinery, Jr. performing at 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Second Street and Corona Avenue.

Race car drivers will sign autograph between shows. Also back are the racing simulators, which were a hit with children, Rossi said, so they added a second one after last year’s popularity. Those will be on Second Street and Covina Avenue, she said.

The side roads will close to all traffic begiing at 11 a.m., with the south side of Corona Avenue. Then, at 3 p.m., the north and south sides of both Corona and Covina avenues will be closed. Second Street will remain open, Rossi said.

MISS TOYOTA GRAND PRIX

What’s been touted as the kickoff party for the 42nd aual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach — one of them, anyway — happens Wednesday.

The Miss Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Finals is at 7 p.m. at Hotel Maya-Vista Del Mar. In years past, the pageant was part of Thunder Thursday in downtown Long Beach, but organizers decided to make some changes, organizers said.

The upcoming free Miss Toyota pageant features 18 finalists, as well as DJ Herick, a meet and greet with current queen Natasha Alhandy and first ruer-up Alliyah Becerra and a display car. Previous years’ wiers Clarissa Burquez and Alyssa Meeks also will be available.

Three of the women in Wednesday’s event will be chosen as the new court and all of the finalists will participate during race weekend as grid girls — sporting new grid suits — for the celebrity race on Saturday and the main race on Sunday.

THUNDER THURSDAY

Thundering through downtown Long Beach — besides the roar of Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach engines warming up — is the 16th aual Thunder Thursday.

The free event Thursday on Pine Avenue, between First and Third streets, includes music and drinks from 6 to 11 p.m. and car shows and stunts from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

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The Downtown Long Beach Associates sponsors the event and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach hosts it, said Brian Addison, spokesman for the DLBA.

New this year, DLBA is dedicating its monthly Live After 5 to the event, dubbing it Live After 5: RPM Edition, which will be in the Federal Bar parking lot. The show includes Hooray for Our Side, a ska-n-punk group from Orange County; Warehouse One, a ska trio from San Pedro; Kid Culver, a psychedelic funk rock trio from Los Angeles; and Knyght Ryder, a 1980s cover band from Long Beach.

Additionally, Kress Market will host a beer garden.

The following road closures will be in effect: Starting at noon Thursday, Pine Avenue will be closed between First and Third streets. Broadway will be closed between Pacific Avenue and The Promenade, but will have one lane open until 5:30 p.m.

Parking lots will be accessible on Broadway through alleys.

There will be no parking from noon to midnight on Pine Avenue, from First to Third streets; on Broadway between Pacific Avenue to Pine Avenue; and on the north side of Third Street, 300 feet west and east of Pine Avenue.

Emily Thoton is a staff writer with Gazette Newspapers. She can be reached at [email protected].