Visit Michigan City La Porte hosts Community Partner Meeting to discuss 17th Annual XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix event

What started as a weekend filled with high-speed thrills on the water has since grown into a year-long commitment to showcase La Porte County through a week of festivities. The 17th Annual XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix is right around the corner, and to get into the spirit of this event, Visit Michigan City La Porte hosted a community partner meeting with members of the La Porte County community.

Scott Miller, race director for the XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix, considers the boat races to be one of the biggest events that both he and the La Porte County community look forward to every year.

“We broadcast it over YouTube, and this is an event that goes national and worldwide,” Miller said. “The coverage here is unbelievable. This event is heavily supported by the community, government officials, and organizations. It’s truly an event unlike any other.”

According to Miller, the preparation for this event is a year-round commitment. Just about two or three days after the  week-long festivities end, the planning for next year’s event begins. This community partner meeting is one of the first milestones every year when it comes to talking about the action-packed week, along with a safety meeting to ensure everything is in place.

“Right now, we’re gearing up to recognize all of our partnerships with everyone from Race World Offshore to XINSURANCE, our title sponsor, the government agencies, and all the local folks that help us put this event on,” Miller said. “During the safety meeting, we drive home what everybody’s doing, what the expectations are from everyone, and help everybody with getting set up. We crush a gambit out in a short amount of time, but we do it a couple of times before the race day actually gets here.”

The XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix will begin on Monday, July 27, and continue with unique events every day through Sunday, August 2. The race days will take place on the final two days of the week. The full schedule for the event will feature plenty to get excited about:

• Monday, July 27 – Community Appreciation Kick-Off Event and Chalk the Block
• Tuesday, July 28 – Kid’s Day
• Wednesday, July 29 – Golf Outing
• Thursday, July 30 – Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and V.I.P. Party
• Friday, July 31 – Brewfest
• Saturday, August 1 – First Racing Day, Block Party, Boat Parade
• Sunday, August 2 – Second Racing Day

Jack Arnett, CEO of the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), believes this event is one of the best ways to build partnerships within the community.

“It’s a big deal because we get a chance to bring in a couple dozen community partners that not only work with us for the race but also all year long in other capacities,” Arnett said. “We’re kind of blending them together, and there’s two messages today. One is the revealing of the 2026 offshore schedule, and the other is that we’re bringing an industry expert in to talk about tourism and how it relates to La Porte County.”

This event is made possible by dozens of sponsors every year. This year, NIPSCO is the safety sponsor for this event. 

ESPN Chicago has also been covering this event for the past several years.

Lindsay Adams, director of play-by-play sales with ESPN Chicago, is grateful to have this partnership in the La Porte County community through events like this one and the La Porte Invitational.

“Last year, through our audio and digital channels, we served over 2.5 million impressions throughout Chicagoland leading up to the race,” Adams said. “We are very excited to be here this summer to join once again this year, and we appreciate the partnership.”

Arnett admires how these partnerships help people take a closer look at the positive things that are taking place in La Porte County. As this event continues to put this community on the map, it also makes a concerted effort to stamp itself as a destination spot for visitors who are new to the area.

“I love seeing the second-generation families that are taking their vacations and bringing folks from out of town to be part of the boat parade and the block party. It’s cool to see all the smiles, especially for the kids who come out. We’re even adding a drone show for the kids this year,” Arnett said.

With a plethora of different boat classes and specifications for the race, the XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix has developed a reputation as a highlight water sports attraction over the past 17 years.

“What I look forward to the most is Saturday and Sunday,” Miller said. “Once we get to that point, we can relax and appreciate all the hard work that led up to the race days. It’s always a lot of fun having these races, the block party, the boat parade, and awards to celebrate how well it went.”

You can stay updated on the XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix and count down the days until the boat races begin at greatlakesgrandprix.com. For more information, visit michigancitylaporte.com.