Organizers of the Detroit Concours d’Elegance, to take place Sept. 16-18 on the grounds of the Detroit Institute of Arts and neighboring streets, as well as at Comerica Park, provided new features and amenities for the automotive and design celebration during a Thursday press conference.
On Sunday, Sept. 18, the Concours will feature 140 historically significant vehicles set on the lawns that surround the DIA, along Farnsworth Street to the south and E. Kirby Street to the north, an upscale concessions area called Club Detroit, food trucks, a retail store called The Shop, and the awards ceremony just outside the front doors of the museum.
Ticketed access will be at John R and Farnsworth and John R. and E. Kirby. A large concessions area also will be set along John R., just east of the Detroit Film Theatre. In addition, there will be executive hospitality and sponsor booths, along with two bars complemented with water refill stations.
Hagerty, the Traverse City-based automotive lifestyle brand and collectible car specialty insurance provider, took stewardship of The Concours of America in 2021, one of the nation’s largest historic motoring events, which was conducted annually at the Inn at St. John’s in Plymouth Township. The company announced a new name and location, recentering it to the city of Detroit beginning with the September 2022 event.
“Despite Detroit’s role as the center of the automotive industry, it always meant more than that,” says McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. “Detroit was known for its taste making — guiding the pop culture of music, arts, sports, and, yes, cars through the decades. So, this car weekend in September is not just that — It’s a spotlight on great cars but also on a great city.”
On Saturday, Comerica Park’s parking areas will be transformed into Cars & Community, a family-friendly automotive festival featuring three unique shows for one ticket. RADwood, a celebration of 1980s and 1990s lifestyle, blends period correct dress with automotive awesomeness.
Concours d’Lemons, a motoring festival designed to celebrate the oddball, mundane, and unexceptional of the automotive world. Thrift store-sourced trophies are awards in hilarious categories like “Rust Belt American Junk,” “Most Dangerous,” and “Best Back Seat.” Cars & Community also features a curated showcase of local car clubs. Youth will enjoy spending time in the Kids Zone, featuring hands-on interactive displays and activities.
A few blocks away, Beacon Park, located at W. Grand River Avenue and First Street, will see the celebration of the electric vehicle with DTE – Electrified, a partnership with DTE Energy and automotive manufacturers who will have featured EVs to view. The special display is Saturday, Sept. 17 and free to the public.
Saturday evening’s Motor City Party takes place at the College for Creative Studies’ Taubman Center. The event will include a strolling dinner, an open bar, and a celebration of the Concours’ 2022 Honoree — Automotive Hall of Famer, Detroit design legend, and industry leader Ed Welburn, who was vice president of global design at General Motors.
The immersive experience also will feature a roundtable discussion with McKeel Hagerty, Ralph Gilles, chief design officer at Stellantis; Hau Thai-Tang, chief industrial platform officer at Ford Motor Co.; and Doug L. Parks, executive vice president of General Motors about the future of the automobile industry and what Hagerty, Ford, GM, and Stellantis are doing to keep driving alive.
On Sunday, the Detroit Concours d’Elegance features 15 classes of historically significant vehicles displayed on the lawns and roadways surrounding the Detroit Institute of Arts.
2022 Detroit Concours d’Elegance Classes:
Featured Designer Class — Cars of Harley Earl
Featured Class — Detroit Autorama
Featured Class — Cars of Woodward Avenue
Class — American Classics (Pre-war)
Class — European Classics (Pre-war)
Class — American Sports Cars of the 1950s and 1960s
Class — Lamborghini (1960s and 1970s)
Class — Ferrari (1960s and 1970s)
Class — Maserati (1960s and 1970s)
Class — European Modern Classics
Class — Chrysler Limited Production (1950s and 1960s)
Class — Ford Limited Production (1950s and 1960s)
Class — GM Limited Production (1950s and 1960s)
Class — Midwest Hot Rods
Class — Orphan Cars – Packard Post War
Class — Orphan Cars – Studebaker
Class — Supercars
In addition, Hagerty is partnering with three non-profits organizations for the 2022 Detroit Concours. The company is committed to fueling car culture, honoring Detroit’s automotive heritage, and helping to save driving for future generations. Together with students, residents, and attendees, Hagerty is supporting local nonprofit efforts that empower small businesses and drive economic development.
The non-profit partners are:
College for Creative Studies
The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is located in Midtown Detroit and is a major supplier of talent to numerous industries, such as transportation, film and animation, advertising and communications, consumer electronics, athletic apparel, and more.
Midtown Detroit Inc.
Midtown Detroit Inc. provides funding for Detroit through their mission to support and enhance community and economic development, while preserving and promoting culture in the Midtown and New Center areas. They represent more than over 150 area stakeholders, including Detroit’s anchor educational, medical, and cultural institutions and have invested nearly $800 million in projects since 2014 (parks, greenspace, infrastructure and public space improvements, etc.). MDI has supported openings and expansions of 178 small businesses since 2014 and provides affordable housing.
DRIVE One Detroit
Drive One Detroit provides metro-Detroit area at-risk youth with vocational training in automotive technology, machining, welding, woodworking, and transportation design. They provide a career building technical education and training vocational skill sets to students grades 7-12 who are seeking pragmatic education based options, a technology-centric school, or whose interest in technology is keen but underserved or unavailable.
More information for the 2022 Detroit Concours d’Elegance, including Detroit Social Club and Club Detroit tickets, can be found at DetroitConcours.com.
