A weekend of automotive excellence, the Gasparilla Concours takes place Saturday, December 3, at TPC Tampa Bay.
Tampa, Fla. (November 7, 2022) – Tampa Bay Lightning Chief Executive Officer Steve Griggs will serve as the Grand Marshal for the third annual Gasparilla Concours d’Elegance. The event, which celebrates 100 Years of Automotive Excellence, will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at TPC Tampa Bay Golf Course in Lutz. Coupled with the GCDE Tour d’Elegance on December 2 and Nickel Tour of Historic Tampa Bay on December 4, Gasparilla Concours festivities span a total of three days, each featuring historic cars and stunning fashion from the 1900s to the present. The event has quickly become a favorite of car enthusiasts and locals alike.
“We are thrilled to have Steve Griggs, a respected community leader and philanthropist, join us as this year’s Grand Marshal,” said Gasparilla Concours d’Elegance Executive Director Joanne Pistorius. “The Lightning organization is renowned for providing a world-class experience to its guests, much like that of Gasparilla Concours d’Elegance, and we look forward to sharing our electric atmosphere on Saturday, December 3.”
Griggs is the CEO of Vinik Sports Group and the two-time Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. He is also a tremendous supporter of FARA (Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance), which benefits from Gasparilla Concours d’Elegance proceeds.
During Griggs’ tenure with the Lightning, the organization has risen to unprecedented heights, evidenced by a streak of 290 consecutively sold-out games beginning in 2015. Under his leadership, the Lightning introduced the Community Hero program in 2011-12, a cornerstone for the organization that has since been renewed twice and continues to this day. The Lightning Community Hero program donates $50,000 each game, totaling more than $27 million to over 600 unique Tampa Bay-area nonprofits.
A fan of fast-paced sports, Griggs is also an avid fan of collectible cars and motorcycles, perfectly befitting the automotive celebration. As Grand Marshal, he will usher in Gasparilla Concours festivities in the featured centennial car, a 1922 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost owned by Bob and Nancie Thompson of Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada. Joining Griggs are Gasparilla Concours Founders and Executive Directors Brando and Joanne Pistorius, Master of Ceremonies Ed Lucas, and announcer Gary Wurmlinger. The Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla Cutthroat Chorus Pirates, Santa, and other dignitaries will also join in kicking off opening ceremonies for a day filled with elegance, food, fun, and the most unique and historically significant vehicles ever gathered in the Tampa Bay Area.
Proceeds from Gasparilla Concours d’Elegance benefit the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), helping fund research to cure Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), a debilitating, life-shortening, and degenerative neuromuscular disorder that affects one in 50,000 people in the United States.
TICKETS
Tickets for Gasparilla Concours d’Elegance are on sale now, starting at just $40. VIP Tickets include access to the VIP Tent with complimentary breakfast, lunch, and four drink tickets, access to a VIP-only full liquor bar, and the best seats in the house for the awards ceremony. Children, ages 15 or younger, are free to attend with a paid adult admission, making the event an affordable option for the whole family. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit GasparillaConcours.com.
ABOUT GASPARILLA CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE
Gasparilla Concours d’Elegance, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit incorporated in the State of Florida. We exist to support Tampa Bay charities that serve children who are most in need in our community. We operate through direct donations and monies raised through our annual juried classic car competition featuring rare, original, and historically important vehicles.