The Concours d'Elegance of Texas is moving its home north to Arlington in 2017 and marking its sixth anniversary in its new Dallas/Fort Worth location.
Since 2011, the event has been held at La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa on lake Conroe, north of Houston in Montgomery. Mike Ames, Concours d'Elegance of Texas Chairman said about the new location, “we determined that we could expand on our early success at a more metropolitan and centrally located site. The City of Arlington has become an enthusiastic supporter.”
A three-day vintage car celebration the Concours d'Elegance of Texas is one of the largest vintage motoring and luxury lifestyle events in the state.
The event, which will be held in Arlington’s Entertainment District in April of next year, means that folks from around the metroplex can get an up close and personal look at these vintage cars without having to travel further south for the experience.
“The area is home to an extremely active car-collector community,” Ames said about the move to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. “There is an automotive heritage here and it is the site for many sports/entertainment activities including the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and Six Flags. We believe the Concours d'Elegance of Texas will become an annual 'must event' and the Arlington Entertainment District is perfectly positioned.”
To be held on April 21-23, 2017, at the Richard Greene Linear Park, located between the Cowboys AT&T Stadium and the Rangers Globe Life Park, the Concours weekend begins Friday with a police-escorted driving tour of local attractions and a luncheon for the Concours entrants. Friday evening, Worldwide Auctioneers and the CoT present an opening reception at the Arlington Convention Center, which gives attendees the opportunity to see the wide array of cars to be auctioned. On Saturday, Worldwide Auctioneers presents the 16th Annual Texas Classic Auction with over 100 rare and collectible cars on the auction block. Ames said automobile classes will include true classic cars from the early days all the way through the modern exotics.
“We have not had a motorcycle class to date, but it is on the drawing board,” he said. “All the entrants are judged by experts and the day is capped with an exciting and educational awards presentation.”
Open to the public, Saturday night will conclude with the Cowboys and Cars Dinner plus silent and live auctions benefiting a variety of charities including Make-A-Wish North Texas, Holy Angels Residential Facility, Arlington's River Legacy Foundation and the Next Gen Education Program.
Ames said the name "Concours d'Elegance" means "contest of elegance" and dates back to the 17th century when the French aristocracy would meet in the parks of Paris on summer weekends to parade their carriages, each decorated more elegantly than the next.
Over time, the carriages became horseless and the parades became competitions among automobile enthusiasts.
“There are several major Concours events in the U.S. each year. They are generally focused on the coasts,” Ames concluded. “Our goal is to build a world-class Concours event right here in the center of the most prosperous state of the country. Last year we had cars and visitors from over 40 states and several foreign countries.”
Learn more about the Concours d'Elegance of Texas here.