Monterey Car Week: The Day-by-Day Programme
A first weekend at the circuit, a Tuesday in the streets of Carmel, racing from Wednesday to Saturday, a Friday in the hills, sales in the evening, a Sunday on the fairway: the week, and how to compose it.
Last updated 6 October 2026 · 4 min read
Monterey Car Week 2027 takes place in August and culminates on Sunday 15 August. Its rhythm repeats from year to year: on the first weekend, the Monterey Pre-Reunion at the Laguna Seca circuit; on Tuesday, a free street concours in Carmel-by-the-Sea; from Wednesday to Saturday, the Monterey Motorsports Reunion races; on Wednesday 11 August, the Motoring Classic arrives at Pebble Beach; on Thursday 12 August, the Tour d'Elegance on the peninsula's roads, and the opening of the Concours Village, free, until Sunday; on Friday, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, in Carmel Valley; on Saturday, the Concorso Italiano in Seaside; from Thursday to Saturday, the auctions; on Sunday 15 August, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The exact 2027 racing dates have not yet been published by the circuit.
The first weekend: the circuit opens
The week begins at the Laguna Seca circuit, with the Monterey Pre-Reunion: hundreds of historic racing cars on track, a hillclimb on the Corkscrew, a thinner crowd than the following weekend. In 2026 it was held on 8 and 9 August; the 2027 dates will be published by the circuit.
It is the moment to see the cars up close, in the paddock, without the crowds — and, for those arriving early, to find your bearings on the peninsula before the busy days.
Tuesday to Thursday: Carmel, the first races, the Tour
On Tuesday, Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea closes to traffic and welcomes hundreds of classic cars: a free street concours, open to all, explored on foot before lunch in the village. On Wednesday, the Monterey Motorsports Reunion races begin at the circuit, and the Motoring Classic, having set out from Seattle, arrives at Pebble Beach in the late afternoon.
On Thursday 12 August, the Tour d'Elegance takes the Concours cars out onto the peninsula's roads; you watch it pass for free, at the designated points. The same day the Concours Village opens, free until Sunday, and the first auctions begin.
Friday and Saturday: gatherings, racing, sales
On Friday, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering takes over Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel Valley: rare cars, models presented for the first time, tables from the region, before a deliberately small audience — tickets are allocated by ballot. At the circuit, the racing continues.
On Saturday, the Concorso Italiano devotes a golf course in Seaside to Italian automobiles; at the circuit, the final races; in the evening, the week's last auctions. It is also the eve of the Concours: dine early, Sunday begins before dawn.
Sunday: the Concours
On Sunday 15 August 2027, the week converges on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links: some two hundred rare cars are judged there, from dawn to the awards. Our guides to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance cover that Sunday, its tickets and its hospitality packages in detail.
For those who have followed the whole week, it is a natural conclusion; for those who come only for the Sunday, a day or two beforehand — Saturday's racing, a gathering — gives the measure of the week.
Day by day
The table below follows the usual rhythm of the week. The dates shown are those published for 2027; the other days follow the 2026 calendar, and we confirm them as the organisers publish.
| Day | Event | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| First weekend | Monterey Pre-Reunion and hillclimb at the Laguna Seca circuit | Those who want the paddock without the crowds |
| Tuesday | Street concours on Ocean Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea, free | Everyone, on foot |
| Wednesday 11 August | Monterey Motorsports Reunion racing begins; the Motoring Classic arrives at Pebble Beach | Those coming for the racing |
| Thursday 12 August | Tour d'Elegance; the Concours Village opens; first auctions | Those who want to see the cars move |
| Friday | The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, in Carmel Valley; racing; sales | Those drawn in the ballot; racing enthusiasts |
| Saturday | Concorso Italiano in Seaside; final races; evening sales | The eve, before Sunday's dawn |
| Sunday 15 August | The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance | Everyone |
Attire and comfort: from the circuit to the fairway
The peninsula has two climates. On the coast, mornings are cool and often misty; in the hills of Carmel Valley and at the circuit, the afternoon warms up and the wind blows across the track. Dress in layers, with shoes made for walking a long way on grass, gravel and the circuit's slopes.
At the circuit, relaxed clothing and ear protection; on the gathering lawns, daytime elegance — a light jacket, a dress or an ensemble, a hat. The chauffeur keeps the rest on board, and the changes of outfit between two venues.
Frequently asked questions
Thursday to Sunday: the Tour d'Elegance on Thursday, The Quail on Friday, the final races and the Concorso Italiano on Saturday, the Concours on Sunday. The racing begins on Wednesday, and the first weekend at the circuit.
Four to six days let you see the racing, one or two gatherings and Concours Sunday without rushing. For the first weekend at the circuit, allow the whole week.
Sunday 15 August 2027 for the Concours, Thursday 12 August for the Tour d'Elegance and Wednesday 11 for the Motoring Classic's arrival are published. The 2027 dates for the Laguna Seca racing and the gatherings are not yet; they usually follow the same rhythm.
Yes, with a chauffeur and some lead time: a morning at the circuit, an afternoon on a golf course, a sale in the evening. We set the order of venues according to each organiser's access plan.
No code is imposed at most events. Relaxed clothing at the circuit, daytime elegance on the golf courses and at the Concours, layers for cool mornings and warm afternoons.
Yes: Carmel's street concours, the Concours Village, the Tour d'Elegance passing by and the racing all lend themselves to it. At the circuit, children 15 and under enter free with a paying adult, according to the conditions published for 2026.
From 2028, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance moves to the second Sunday of August. The rest of the week is organised around it; we will keep you informed of the dates as they are published.
Take it further
The right week, at the right pace
Tell us what you want to experience — the racing, Carmel on Tuesday, a gathering, the sales, Sunday on the fairway — and we compose the week: tickets sourced on request, arrival, chauffeur, accommodation, on quotation.