Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary

The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (PVGP), one of the most treasured Only in Pittsburgh summer events, celebrates its 40th anniversary this week, with an estimated 50,000 attendees expected at Race Weekend, July 23-24, in Schenley Park.

PVGP is the nation’s largest vintage street race and the only one staged on public roads. It is long considered by drivers to be the most challenging racecourse worldwide. And, this year, the PVGP will honor Porsche as its Marque of the Year.

“July in Pittsburgh is synonymous with the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, and our community is excited to celebrate the PVGP’s 40th anniversary,” SportsPITTSBURGH Executive Director Jennifer Hawkins said. “Dan (DelBianco) and the PVGP Board of Directors will, once again, host one of the largest events on the Pittsburgh calendar, with proceeds directly benefitting Autism Pittsburgh and Merakey Allegheny Valley School.” 

The 2021 PVGP contributed more than $8.6 million to our community through direct visitor spending.

“The Pittsburgh community is vital to the success of our event,” said Dan DelBianco, Executive Director of the PVGP. “It all starts with City Hall, where we have the tremendous support of elected officials, City Parks, Public Works and the Special Events Committee. Pittsburgh is still the only city in the country to race vintage cars wheel-to-wheel on the streets. No other city can replicate this!”

“It continues with the corporate sponsors and partner organizations that help us put on a show, too. But, it’s the community itself that brings the PVGP and Race Weekend to life – our generous volunteers and the attendees who cheer on the racers.”

New this year, the 2022 PVGP Race Weekend will be livestreamed, allowing fans far and wide to enjoy all the excitement in Pittsburgh.

Including the 2022 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, SportsPITTSBURGH points to five notable sports events, planned through Dec. 31, that will drive business into Pittsburgh’s communities, including:

• Fleet Feet Liberty Mile | July 22 | Downtown Pittsburgh | Hosted by P3R
  • Pittsburgh’s fastest and favorite one-mile timed road race. Professional runners, recreational runners and more will compete in this one-of-a-kind nighttime race, with roughly 1,250 runners projected to participate in this all-ages event.

• GAMMA Pickleball Classic | Aug. 5-7 | David L. Lawrence Convention Center | Hosted by GAMMA Sports
  • The 6th Annual GAMMA Pickleball Classic, one of the premier indoor tournaments in the United States, expects more than 800 participants competing for $30,000 in prize money.
  • A portion of the proceeds from the GAMMA Pickleball Classic will go toward the Parkinson Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, which actively promotes the sport as a therapeutic exercise for those diagnosed with the disease.

• USHL Fall Classic | Sept. 22-26 | UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, PA | Hosted with Pittsburgh Penguins
  • This event features some of the best junior hockey across the United States and returns for the 6^th time to Pittsburgh. In 2021, the event had 5,500 attendees, all 16 USHL teams, 80+ youth teams and scouts from every level of hockey. Last year’s Fall Classic contributed $3.9 million in visitor direct spending.

• EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler | Nov. 6 | Downtown Pittsburgh | Hosted by P3R
  • An estimated 4,500 runners are projected to race in the 10th anniversary of the EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler, dubbed “The Most Pittsburgh Race Ever.” New this year is a 10K race option.

• NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship | Nov. 17-19 | UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse
  • Co-hosted by SportsPITTSBURGH and Saint Vincent University, the top eight collegiate teams will qualify for Pittsburgh, with quarterfinal play to follow. In 2018, the event contributed $324,700 to the local economy.
  • This championship is the first of 11 NCAA events Pittsburgh will host from Fall 2022 – Spring 2026.

To learn more about these events and other sporting events planned for Pittsburgh, please visit SportsPITTSBURGH.com.

About SportsPITTSBURGH 

As a division of VisitPITTSBURGH, SportsPITTSBURGH’s primary goal is to attract and host a wide variety of sporting events while providing planners and local stakeholders with the expertise and professionalism required to host a world-class event in the Pittsburgh region. Pittsburgh, the “City of Champions,” is dedicated to hosting events that make public health and safety top priorities. For more information, visit sportspittsburgh.com.