2026 Amelia Island Concours
The Amelia Concours d’Elegance is back for its 31st edition, and this year brings a notable shake-up to the schedule. Hosted at The Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island from March 5-8, 2026, the weekend’s anchor event – the Concours d’Elegance itself – has moved from its traditional Sunday slot to Saturday, March 7. More than 250 historically significant vehicles will compete for awards across over 35 classes on the manicured fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island. This year’s honored racing legend is three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti.
Featured Classes
The 2026 class list spans the full breadth of automotive history, from the earliest horseless carriages to modern hypercars. Several standout classes make this year’s event especially compelling for collectors and enthusiasts:
- Pre-War Classics – Horseless Carriage, Pre-War American, Duesenberg, Pre-War European, Sleeve Valve Classics, Pre-War Rolls Royce, and Supercharged Mercedes Pre-War
- Post-War European – European Post-War Touring, Luxury, and four tiers of European Post-War Sports classes, plus Euro Muscle
- American Iron – American Limited Production, Pony Cars, and the iconic Corvette Factory L88 class
- Porsche – Porsche Super Street Cars and Porsche Aluminum Bodied
- Competition and Motorsport – Ferrari Competition, Can-Am, IMSA Race Cars, Post-War Race Cars 1946-1975, Kurtis Race Cars, Podiums (Winners at Sebring, Daytona, or Le Mans), E-F-G and H-Modifieds, and the Automobile Racing Club of Florida (A.R.C.F.)
- Special Classes – Tom Cotter’s One of One, Hypercars, Icons: Carroll Shelby (Cobras & More), Icons: Carroll Shelby (Mustangs), Chip Foose Creations, Production Built Turbos 1971-1990, Cars of Honoree Dario Franchitti MBE, and Motorcycle Mechanical Marvels
The Carroll Shelby tribute across two dedicated classes – one for Cobras and one for Mustangs – alongside a Can-Am class and the Chip Foose Creations showcase ensures this year’s field will be among the most diverse and exciting in the event’s history.
Auctions
Two major auction houses are set to offer cars during Concours Week, making this one of the premier buying opportunities on the East Coast collector car calendar.
Broad Arrow Auctions will offer approximately 140 exceptional collector cars at The Ritz-Carlton, ranging from pre-war American and European classics to motorsport icons and modern supercars. Auction previews run Thursday through Saturday morning, with live bidding on Friday afternoon (3-7 PM) and Saturday (10:30 AM-4 PM).
Gooding Christie’s will return to its classic beachfront setting at the Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa. Viewing begins Wednesday, March 4 and continues through Friday, with the auction held on Thursday and Friday. Gooding Christie’s has become synonymous with Amelia Island Porsche offerings in recent years, including selections from The Jerry Seinfeld Collection.
Surrounding Events and Activities
Thursday, March 5 - Kick-Off
The festivities begin with the Broad Arrow Auction Preview (9 AM-4 PM) and the Hagerty Ride & Drive (11 AM-4 PM), where attendees can cruise Amelia Island in brand-new cars from select manufacturers on a first-come, first-served basis. The evening brings Reverie (6:30-9:30 PM), an elegant kickoff party at The Ritz-Carlton featuring bespoke cocktails, culinary fare, and live entertainment. A seminar introducing the new M100 Judging System – a modernization of the concours judging process – is led by Chief Judge Nigel Matthews and Co-Chief Judge Chris Kramer.
Friday, March 6 - Road Tour, Auctions, and More
The Eight Flags Road Tour kicks off at 7 AM in downtown Fernandina Beach, where concours entrants drive their cars around the island before a public display on Centre Street. Complimentary coffee and donuts are provided courtesy of Reliable Carriers. The Classic Motorsports Amelia Island Kickoff and Concours d’Lemons take place at Main Beach Park, celebrating oddball and unloved cars with tongue-in-cheek “Worst of Show” awards. The Porsche Club Werks Reunion runs all day at Amelia River Golf Club. Friday evening features the exclusive Legends of Speed dinner – an intimate, multi-course meal with honoree Dario Franchitti.
Saturday, March 7 - The Main Event
The 31st Amelia Concours d’Elegance runs from 9:30 AM to 4 PM on the fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island. Alongside the concours, RADwood (9 AM-1 PM) celebrates ’80s and ’90s car culture with period-correct attire, music, and era-appropriate vehicles. The Broad Arrow Auction continues with live bidding from 10:30 AM to 4 PM. The Hagerty Ride & Drive is also available from 11 AM to 2 PM.
Sunday, March 8 - Cars & Caffeine
The weekend wraps up with Cars & Caffeine (9 AM-1 PM), which has swapped to the Sunday slot for 2026. This family-friendly event showcases over 400 enthusiast vehicles and includes free Ride & Drives and seminars. Sunday’s seminar lineup features notable speakers and panels:
- The Future of Women in Motorsports – Featuring drivers Mia LeRoux and Sabre Cook, moderated by Erin Evernham
- The Cars of Dario Franchitti – Moderated by Justin Bell
- Chip Foose, the Creator – A retrospective on Foose’s career, moderated by Ray Evernham with panelist Ken Gross
- Can-Am – A discussion of the legendary SCCA/CASC series, with Tommy Kendall and Mark Raffauf
What Makes 2026 Different
The Saturday-Sunday schedule swap is the most significant logistical change for 2026. Moving the concours to Saturday and Cars & Caffeine to Sunday gives attendees a more relaxed close to the weekend – no doubt inspired by the previous year’s Sunday being rained out. The introduction of the M100 judging system also signals Hagerty’s commitment to modernizing the event while preserving its heritage. With classes honoring Carroll Shelby, Chip Foose, Can-Am racers, and the legendary Dario Franchitti, the 31st Amelia Concours promises to be one of the most memorable editions yet.