As community events re-emerge after year-long shutdowns, the City of Coatesville’s biggest attraction, the Coatesville Invitational Vintage Grand Prix, will return on Saturday, Sept. 18.

The city has engaged event and sports marketing professional Lisa Thomas as Event & Sponsorship Director to manage its growth.

“As the region is opening up after COVID-19, the entire Coatesville community is looking forward to one of the country’s only Vintage Grand Prix events,” said Thomas. “In addition to featuring incredible vintage cars and motorcycles winding through the downtown streets of Coatesville, the event provides the opportunity to showcase the city’s exciting transformation.

“We invite interested individuals, organizations, and companies to get involved with sponsorship opportunities at every level. We also hope to engage more of our local small businesses while building on our relationships with area organizations, including Coatesville’s 2nd Century Alliance, the Western Chester County Chamber, and the Coatesville Rotary. This is an event that shines a spotlight on Coatesville, and it provides the entire community a sense of pride for their city.”

The fifth annual event will feature more than 60 vintage cars and motorcycles, dating from 1900 to 1975, that will run individually over a challenging, 2.2-mile road course through the heart of Coatesville. In 2019, the event attracted more than 5,000 visitors from the tri-state region, and that number is expected to grow.

“We are excited to be hosting the event again and fortunate to bring on a seasoned event professional to manage it and engage the community,” said James Logan, Coatesville City Manager. “Lisa has already begun reaching out to the community, sponsors, and regional businesses for our highly anticipated event. We look forward to seeing past event champions return and appreciate previous sponsors, including Brian Hoskins Ford, Brandywine Health Foundation, Lamb McErlane, and PECO.”

“New this year is a Friday Cruise-In event featuring vintage cars, trucks, and special interest vehicles,” said Thomas, who is President of Coatesville-based Brand Farm and has worked in sports marketing, event planning, and sponsorship management for 20 years.

Thomas is best known for marketing Olympic-level athletes and managing event and sponsorship relations for equestrian events, some of which have drawn as many as 75,000 visitors. She aims to work with Coatesville residents, the Chester County community, and sponsors to develop the Grand Prix to become a major regional draw.

Learn more about sponsorship and vendor opportunities, VIP tickets, and other details. Contact Lisa Thomas at info@coatesvillegrandprix.com.