Monterey Auto Week: Concours d'Lemons to d'Elegance

James Raia

Monterey Auto Week is its unofficial name and it’s also inaccurate. But since there’s no official name it’s the best name for all of the automotive shows, auctions, memorabilia displays — all encompassing vintage cars — about to unfold on the Monterey Peninsula.

The events are actually scheduled over nearly two weeks. But there’s no central organizing group for the varied activities that range from the infamous Concours d’Lemons to the famous Concours d’Elegance.

Monterey Auto Week: Concours d'Lemons to d'Elegance 1
Vintage Porsche/All Images © James Raia

One highlight of this year will be the return of the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel. It was suspended after three years in for 2010 despite last-ditch effort by Carmel city officials to raise $200,000 from local businesses.

According to the Monterey County Herald, featured classes in 2011 will include American, Italian and British sports cars, luxury cars and family favorites, as well as hot rods, muscle and micro cars, historic racecars and motorcycles, and several classes of Porsche and Ferrari machines.

The event is free on Tuesday, Aug. 16. It will be held on Ocean Ave., (the main artery of the city) as well as several side streets. While jazz plays in the background, car owners will showoff their goods, Fiat to Ferrari, and mingle with the crowd.

Although more events are scheduled, here are some of the highlights, Tuesday, Aug. 16 through Sunday Aug. 21.

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA CONCOURS ON THE AVENUE Tuesday, Ocean Avenue, Carmel. Free. (404) 237-2633. motorclubevents.com

AUTOMOBILIA MONTEREY Tuesday and Wednesday, Embassy Suites Hotel, Monterey. Admission fee. (831) 659-1551. automobiliamonterey.com

THE LITTLE CAR SHOW Wednesday, Downtown Pacific Grove. Free. (831) 384-1200. marinamotorsports.org

MOTORWORKS REVIVAL 2011 Wednesday, Monterey Jet Center, Monterey. Admission fee. mccallevents.comMonterey Auto Week: Concours d'Lemons to d'Elegance 2

BONHAMS & BUTTERFIELDS AUCTION Thursday and Friday, Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club, Carmel. Free. (415) 391-4000. bonhams.com/quail

RUSSO & STEELE SPORTS AND MUSCLE AUCTION Thursday through Saturday, Marriott Hotel, Monterey. Admission fee. (602) 252-2697. russoandsteele.com

PEBBLE BEACH RETROAUTO Friday through Sunday, Pebble Beach Golf Links. Free. (831) 622-1700. pebblebeachconcours.net

RM AUCTIONS SPORTS AND CLASSICS OF MONTEREY Friday and Saturday, Portola Plaza Hotel and Monterey Conference Center, Monterey. Admission fee. (800) 211-4371. rmauctions.com

ROLEX MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION Friday through Sunday, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas. Admission fee. (831) 242-8201. mazdaraceway.comMonterey Auto Week: Concours d'Lemons to d'Elegance 3

CONCORSO ITALIANO Friday, Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, Monterey. Admission fee. (425) 742-0632. concorso.com

PACIFIC GROVE AUTO RALLY AND CELEBRATION Friday, Pacific Grove. Registration fee. (831) 372-6585. pgautorally.org

LEGENDS OF THE AUTOBAHN Friday, Rancho Canada Gold Club, Carmel Valley. Registration fee; free for spectators. legendsoftheautobahn.org

THE QUAIL, A MOTORSPORTS GATHERING Friday, Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club, Carmel. Admission fee. (877) 734-4628. quaillodgeevents.com

MIDAMERICA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE AUCTION AND MARKETPLACE Friday through Sunday, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach. Free. (651) 633-9655. midamericaauctions.com

CONCOURS D’LEMONS Saturday, Laguna Grande Park, Seaside. Free. (916) 207-4645. concoursdlemons.com

MECUM AUCTION Thursday through Saturday, Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa, Monterey. Free. (815) 568-8888. mecum.com

GOODING & COMPANY’S PEBBLE BEACH AUCTION Saturday and Sunday, Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, Pebble Beach. Admission fee. (310) 899-1960. goodingco.com

THE BARNYARD SHOPPING VILLAGE FERRARI EVENT Saturday, Barnyard Shopping Village, Carmel. Admission fee. (831) 624-8886. thebarnyard.com

PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ÉLÉGANCE Sunday, Pebble Beach Golf Links. Admission fee. (831) 622-1700. pebblebeachconcours.net

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Article Last Updated: August 12, 2011.

1 thought on “Monterey Auto Week: Concours d'Lemons to d'Elegance”

  1. Thanks for a thorough overview of a wonderful event. Nothing beats the Monterey Peninsula — except the Monterey Peninsula filled with elegant, notable, automobiles.

    Reply

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