Arizona has its annual auction week in January. There’s car week in August in Monterey. And in 2019, there will be an automotive autumn in Las Vegas, where planning is well advanced for the inaugural Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance.
The new four-day event is scheduled for October 25-28, slotting into the calendar after the annual Barrett-Jackson auction and before the Mecum auction and the SEMA Show. Add in the annual visits by drag and stock car racers and fall 2019 becomes a four-wheel festival in Las Vegas.
The new Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance is scheduled to begin Friday, October 25, with a gala at the Frank Gehry-designed Keep Memory Alive Event Center, and with food by chef Wolfgang Puck.
The concours takes place Saturday up at the DragonRidge Country Club, which provides a vista that includes a view of The Strip. Sunday morning, The Strip will be closed to normal traffic so the concours cars can be paraded through that spectacular canyon of neon, water fountains and entertainment landmarks, and that evening the inaugural Helene Awards banquet is scheduled.
Named for Helene Rother, believed to be the first woman car designer, the awards will honor automotive innovation, achievement and design.
Monday, the LVCE Celebrity golf tournament will raise money for an ArtCenter College of Design scholarship fund.
And this is just the first year. The organizing committee already is looking toward a future with vintage races and other events.
Goodguys Southwest Nationals
The final Goodguys rod and custom show of the 2018 season, the 21st annual Southwest Nationals, takes place November 16-18 at WestWorld in Scottsdale, Arizona, featuring all of the Top 12 Cars of the Year as well as the monumental display of street rods and custom cars, vendor displays, swap meet and autocross competition.
The Southwest Nationals brings together more than 3,000 spectacular pre-1987 rods, customs, muscle cars, classics and trucks on display and competing for awards. The family friendly event features activities for kids, a display of models and pedal cars, and live musical entertainment.
On All American Sunday, November 18, the show is open to all years U.S. made and powered vehicles. The awards ceremony starts at 2:22 pm.
For more information, visit the event website.
And while you’re at it, check out Episode 1 of the Goodguys’ Hall of Fame Tour video.
Inaugural concours in Florida
The inaugural Cigar City Concours d’Elegance will be held Sunday, November 11, at Starkey Ranch District Park in Odessa, Florida, near Tampa. With the theme Transformation of Transportation, the concours will feature a daylong celebration that includes live cigar rolling and lighting, a special Lincoln display, and fine-food tasting.
A featured special class will focus on Period Correct Hot Rods & Customs from 1932-55.
For more information, visit the event website.
Biggest gathering of ‘motoring clubs’
The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, already the UK’s biggest indoor classic vehicle exhibition, grows even bigger for 2018 with an added hall, and with more clubs displaying at the event, creating what the organizers call the world’s biggest gathering of classic motoring clubs.
Held at Birmingham’s NEC from Friday, November 9, through Sunday, November 11, the show will take up more than 1 million square feet. More than 3,000 vehicles, including motorcycles, are expected to be on display.
The weekend also includes a Silverstone Auctions sale, Sporting Bears’ Dream Rides, the Restoration Theatre, Discovery Live Stage and the UK’s biggest indoor Autojumble (swap meet on this side of the pond) and Classic Trader Village
For more information, visit the event website.
