Long Beach's downtown parking garages are about to fill up with show cars again. The free TYPE S Automotive Night Lights meet returns Thursday, October 22, running 6 to 10 p.m. at the Long Beach Convention Center's 400 Garage at 400 E. Seaside Way, kicking off the same weekend that Formula DRIFT brings its PRO Championship season finale to the city's downtown streets.
The Thursday night gathering functions as the official lead-in to Formula DRIFT's Round 8, dubbed “Shoreline Showdown,” which runs October 23 and 24 on an outdoor street course at the Long Beach Arena, according to the Long Beach Entertainment Center. General spectators can walk into Night Lights for free, with no ticket or registration required, as detailed in Long Beach City's Facebook post announcing the event. Fans who already hold tickets to the Formula DRIFT races get a head start, with exclusive early entry beginning at 5:30 p.m., a half hour ahead of general admission.
From a Convention Center Garage to a Five-Level Spectacle
Night Lights has grown fast. Automotive photographer Larry Chen, who hosts the October gathering, held a Night Lights event in 2025 at the Long Beach Convention Center parking garage. The series has since expanded into larger municipal structures across the city.
That growth became obvious in April 2026, when the meet moved to the Long Beach Aquarium Parking Garage and drew an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 car culture enthusiasts spread across five levels of the structure, the outlet reports. That spring edition also brought out Fast & Furious actor Sung Kang as co-host, who was promoting his drift film Drifter, and featured live night drifting demonstrations for the first time, according to the same report.
Pre-Registration Required for Show Cars, Not Spectators
This time around, show cars must be registered in advance and approved before entering the structure. Spectators, by contrast, face no such restriction and can attend without registering.
Parking for spectators is handled separately from the show-car garage. A TYPE S post lists Chase Parking, The Pike Parking Structure and the Aquarium Garage as parking options.
Sponsors Tie Grassroots Car Culture to Pro Motorsports
Night Lights carries serious commercial weight behind its free-to-attend format. The event is presented by Pennzoil, which serves as the Official Motor Oil of the Formula DRIFT PRO Championship Series. At the April 2026 event, professional drivers James Deane and Vaughn Gittin Jr. parked an RTR Spec 5-FD Ford Mustang, according to LA Car. The October edition also partners with Toyota Gazoo Racing USA, ST Suspensions, and Magnuson Superchargers alongside Formula DRIFT itself.
Car Culture TV describes Chen as a world-renowned photographer and filmmaker, per Car Culture TV.
The event is described as family-friendly and open to all ages. Whether it's the free spectator admission, the pro-driver pedigree of its sponsors, or the direct line to a national championship weekend, Night Lights has positioned itself as the unofficial opening act for one of Southern California's biggest motorsports dates.
