One of the fanciest beauty pageants in the world happens in Pebble Beach the week of August 13-19, but the stars of the show are on wheels, not runways. The 57th annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance features cars at an unparalleled level of elegance and opulence. Besides that signature event, the week is filled with other automobilic delights, from Carmel’s first-ever Concours on the Avenue, to the Historic Automobile Races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, to the elegant Quail Motorsports Gathering at Quail Lodge. The following is a guide to keep even the most passionate car lover deliriously happy.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 14
Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours on the Avenue
Beginning at 9am and continuing until sundown, this juried concours features post-War vehicles (1946 through 1971) of legendary status. The premiere event, which closes Ocean Avenue to motor traffic, fills 14 blocks with collector cars and related events. An eclectic mix of American and foreign cars are showcased within the setting of Carmel bistros and boutiques, galleries and gardens.
For more information, call 404/237-2633 or visit www.motorclubevents.com.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16
10th annual Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex
Today you may be lucky enough to glimpse packs of beautiful cars whizzing around town. Starting at 8:30am, gorgeous cars leave Collins Field in Pebble Beach and head down parts of 17-Mile Drive and Highway 1, arriving in Carmel-by-the-Sea between 11:30am and noon. From noon until 2pm, cars are parked along Ocean Avenue to view (but no fingerprints please!)
For more information, go to www.pebblebeachconcours.net.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
Historic Automobile Races
Throughout the weekend of August 17-19, racing enthusiasts attend the 34th annual Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races at the legendary Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As the raceway continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary, it’s fitting that the longest-running event on the course honors the history of motor racing, historic automobiles and the people who created them. This year’s marquee features Indy Roadsters, returning the original open wheelers to the Peninsula. Look for more than 375 of the finest race and sports cars in history.
For more information, call 800/327-SECA (7322) or visit www.laguna-seca.com orwww.montereyhistoric.com.
Concorso Italiano
From 9:30am until 5pm at Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course in Seaside, the 22nd annual Concorso Italiano celebrates elements of Italian style, including music, cuisine, fashion and travel. This year the event features 60 years of Ferrari, including the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250GT Cabriolet and California Spyder. There’s also the 50th anniversary of the Maserati 3500GT, the Siata 8V/Fiat 8V, and the upcoming 35th anniversary of the Lamborghini Countach. The featured Italian designer is the late Ugo Zagato.
For more information, call 425/742-0632 or visit www.concorso.com.
The Quail
Nestled among the green hills of Carmel Valley, Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club hosts The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. Now in its 4th year, this celebration of luxury and lifestyle runs from 10am until 3pm. Celebrated themes include the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet, the 75th anniversary of the Monte-Carlo Rally, the 100 th birthday of legendary racer Briggs Cunningham, and 50 years of racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
For more information,call 877/734-4628 or visit www.quaillodge.com.
Pacific Grove Concours Auto Rally
The 13th annual event begins at 1pm with a lineup of classic cars on Lighthouse Ave. The rally, which benefits local charities, begins at 6pm. Cars follow a picturesque route along the Pacific Grove shoreline, through Pebble Beach, up Ocean Ave. in Carmel, and end up back in Pacific Grove for a barbecue dinner at 7pm at Chautahqua Hall.
Call 831/372-6585 or visit www.pgautorally.org for more information.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
Khaki’s Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini Event
Khaki’s Men’s Clothier presents its ninth annual Ferrari Event at 4:30pm. 18 wineries and seven restaurants offer delectables to indulge in while live jazz plays through Carmel’s Barnyard gardens. All makes of Italian exotic cars are welcome, and participants bringing an auto receive a Khaki’s gift package. Proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Center and the Carmel Youth Center.
For more information, visit www.thebarnyard.com.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 19
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
Widely considered the premier celebration of the luxury automobile, the 57th annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance opens to ticket holders at 10:30am Sunday morning on the 18th fairway behind The Lodge at Pebble Beach. This year’s featured autos include the Aston Martin, the Auburn-Cord Dusenberg group, the 1932 Ford, and a first-ever reservation class for postwar cars and Brooklands race cars. For those wanting to shop on a smaller scale,RetroAuto offers rare collectibles for the auto enthusiast. RetroAuto is located outside the entrance to the Concours (no entrance fee required.) Art lovers can take home a portrait of their favorite car; adjacent to the field of automobiles is the 22nd annual exhibition of automotive art by the Automotive FineArt Society. Sunday evening, as the sun sets on the 18 th fairway,Gooding & Company opens its renowned auction of rare automobiles and original art at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center.
For more information about the Concours d’Elegance and its ancillary events, call 831/622-1700 or visit www.pebblebeachconcours.net.