Starting this weekend thousands of people will be making the Monterey Peninsula home for the week as the area becomes the center of the car universe for the annual Car Week and 2015 Concours D'Elegance.
The Concours first starting out in 1950 on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links along with classic auto races throughout the famed 17-Mile Drive. Now the annual Car Week has grown in scope and status where the most exquisite cars from the around world are brought to the area to be showcased.
Events Pack the Week
There are events every day throughout the Peninsula starting on Monday, August 10 leading up to the grand finale at Pebble Beach on Sunday, August 16. This includes rare auctions, events focused on specific genres or brands of cars, and gala events that celebrate a lifestyle that intersects cars, fashion, art, food and wine.
McCall's Motorworks Revival is an evening event where this goes beyond equisite cars and includes classic airplanes, private jets and even a showcase on space travel.
At Laguna Seca, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion takes place all week with historic car races for aficionados that get to test out their classic cars on the famous track.
Free Events
While there are certainly exclusive and VIP events, there are also several opportunities to get and see the classic cars for free. Downtown Monterey, the Portola Plaza and the Marriott are sectioned off for automobiles heading to auction ranging from European classics, to hot-rods and muscle cars, to VW buses and my beloved Toyota Land Cruisers.
My favorite two opportunities to see classic cars for free are on Ocean Avenue in downtown Carmel. On Tuesday, August 11, Concours on the Avenue takes place from 10 am – 5 pm. Then again on Thursday, August 13, the Tour D'Elegance is an event where the actual entrants drive in a scenic caravan throughout the Peninsula and into Big Sur and back. They end up between 11-12 on Ocean Avenue for a three hour picnic and champagne toast where you can see these timeless beauties.
Debuts and Lots of Looks
Beyond the classic cars you will also find new cars and prototypes being debuted car companies from around the globe. While some are mainstream production vehicles, others are ridiculously exclusive like the Bugatti Veyron Legend with a starting price at $3.14 million.
Beyond cars, it is an event about people. It is where you can spend hours people watching and seeing big hats, big boots, big heels and have some big fun.
