Set on the lawn surrounding one of the world’s tallest fountains in Fountain Hills, Arizona, the fourth annual Concours in the Hills has established itself as a casual event that bears little resemblance to the formal “white glove” affairs with which it shares part of its name.
The 2017 event was the first time the show was staged by Scuderia Southwest, one of Arizona’s largest car clubs. The founder of the event, Peter Volny, launched the show in 2014 and in three years has managed to raise $90,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale.
Volny also is on the board of Scuderia Southwest.
“Scuderia Southwest is one of Arizona’s largest and the most prestigious car club and organizer of the immensely popular monthly Motorsports Gathering held at The Shops at Gainey Village and the annual Festival of Speed, so it only made sense to add Concours in the Hills to their growing portfolio,” he said.
The 2017 Concours in the Hills attracted about 630 vehicles, each owner making a minimum donation of $50 to the Boys & Girls Clubs. The 2017 show included such new categories as off-road, military vehicles and motorcycles in addition to the familiar high-performance, luxury and classic vehicles from both imported and domestic manufacturers.
Show cars were kept to their retrospective classes, but the rows were less orderly than expected, with cars facing in different directions, and the music playing over the PA system too often featured lyrics that probably should have been screened, considering how many families with small children were in attendance at the free public event.
The fifth annual event is slated for February 10, 2018, with a rain date of February 17.
Oh, and the monthly Motorsports Gathering has grown to the point that the March 4 event will be the last at Gainey Village. In April, the gathering takes place at a new location to the north, just southwest of the intersection of Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101 freeway.
