Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2026: Sunday August 16 — The 75th Edition

The 75th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance closes Monterey Car Week 2026 on Sunday, August 16. Diamond anniversary of the event that has set the global concours standard since 1950. For Porsche enthusiasts, this isn't a Porsche-themed year, but the field always includes individual Porsche entrants in the open post-war and sports-racing classes — and the experience of being on the 18th fairway at sunrise is irreplaceable regardless of which marques are featured.

The basics

• Date: Sunday, August 16, 2026
• Edition: 75th anniversary (founded 1950)
• Venue: 18th fairway, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA
• Ticketed-spectator gates open: 5:30 am (per the official Pebble Beach FAQ)
• Judging: 8:00 am – 1:30 pm
• Awards: 1:30 – 5:00 pm
• Official site: pebblebeachconcours.net

2026 featured classes

The official 2026 featured classes are:

• Ferrari (Chinetti/NART focus)
• Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale (Italian coachbuilder)
• Early American Speedsters (Pre-WWI)
• Classic Stripped Chassis
• Postwar Touring
• Japanese GTs at Le Mans

No Porsche-dedicated class this year — the marque was featured in prior anniversary years. That said, the postwar sports-racing and open postwar fields historically include individual Porsche entries (550, RS 60/61, early 911) when the cars have the provenance and condition Pebble's selection committee requires. The class list is finalized by mid-summer; the official page above is the authoritative source as cars get confirmed.

Tickets

Per the official Pebble Beach Concours store:

• General Admission (through July 31, 2026): $550
• General Admission (Aug 1 onward): $650
• Various hospitality and special-access tiers above general admission. Check the official tickets page for the current list.

The pre-July-31 price is the move if you're committed. The $100 step-up after August 1 is real and there are no last-minute discounts.

How to spend the day

5:30 am – Gates open

Arrive at gate opening. The atmosphere at sunrise on the 18th fairway — golden light, fog rolling, the first cars being placed on the lawn — is the photographic experience the event is known for. If you have one chance to be on the lawn, take it before 7 am. By 9 am the crowds make the same shots impossible.

6:00 – 8:00 am

Cars are placed and detailed. Owners and crews work on final prep — chrome polish, white-glove tire dressings, last passes with microfibers. Walk classes you care about while you can do it without crowds.

8:00 am – 1:30 pm — Judging

Judges walk each class with clipboards. You can shadow at reasonable distance but don't crowd the judges or get between them and the car. The judges' conversations with owners are often more interesting than the cars themselves — the depth of expertise on display is part of the show.

1:30 – 5:00 pm — Awards

Class awards lead into Best of Show. The crowd thickens significantly for the awards ceremony. If you want a comfortable view, position yourself at the awards stage by 1 pm; otherwise watch on the field-wide PA.

Logistics

Parking

On-site parking at Pebble Beach is restricted to credentialed passes. General-admission ticket holders shuttle in from designated parking lots (the official site updates locations each year — most commonly from the Carmel Plaza area and further south). Plan for the shuttle, not for driving in.

The Carmel Gate

The Carmel Gate at the entry to 17-Mile Drive is the highest- friction choke point on Sunday morning. Budget 45+ extra minutes from anywhere in Carmel between 6 and 9 am. Earlier is better; the gate is more relaxed in the 5–6 am window.

Weather

Coastal Carmel in August is variable. Marine layer often blankets the morning until 10–11 am, then clears to direct sun by midday. Bring layers — a light jacket for the morning, a hat for afternoon. Wind off the ocean is constant.

What Pebble Beach is and isn't

It's the world's most prestigious concours, with a field curated to seven-figure significance. Even the cars in non-feature classes have documentation and provenance most enthusiasts will never see in person again.

It's not a place to see modern Porsches. The 911 GT3 RS in the parking lot won't make the lawn. Pebble is about the historically significant — and for the Porsche enthusiast, that's the early 911 / RS / 550 / 904 / 906 strata of cars that occasionally appear in the open classes.

For modern Porsche presence during Car Week, go to The Quail (Porsche is a 2026 Sapphire sponsor) and PCA Werks Reunion (all-Porsche, Friday Aug 14).

Plan the rest of your week

• Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca (Aug 12–15) — historic racing including Porsche-aligned race groups
• The Quail (Friday Aug 14)
• PCA Werks Reunion Monterey (Friday Aug 14)
• Where to stay — book now if you haven't
• Live directory of every Monterey Car Week event on pcarfolk

Heirloom kit for the lawn

Pebble Beach is dawn-to-dusk on your feet, with a wardrobe somewhere between country-club casual and motorsport-press. If you're carrying gear for the day — 1of1 Touring makes a hand-built leather touring bag designed for trips like Car Week. Limited to 100 units worldwide. Their parent 1of1 Motorsport catalog covers the rest of the kit.

Date and pricing per pebblebeachconcours.net and the official ticket store. Re-verify closer to the event.