Kirkland Concours d'Elegance
Snuggled up to the shores of Lake Washington with the majestic Olympic Mountain range as a backdrop, Carillon Point welcomes the return of the 7th annual Kirkland Concours d’ Elegance on September 13th with a display of twelve historic classes of automobiles, sidecar motorcycles, and vintage boats.
Among car enthusiasts this family oriented event has quickly become recognized as one of the premier concours events in the country with participant vehicles selected from across the United States and Canada. All profits from this spectacular event benefit uncompensated children’s care at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Evergreen Healthcare Medical Center, with more than one million dollars already donated to these needy recipients.
The featured class of vehicles for 2009 will be Classic Mercedes Benz, whose predecessor, Daimler-Benz, developed the first automobile in 1886. Phil Smart Mercedes-Benz, title sponsor since the event’s inception, is honored as among the initial US Mercedes-Benz dealers and the very first in Washington fifty years ago. In addition to the featured display of pre-war classic Mercedes dating back almost one hundred years, there will also be a display of the landmark 300SL’s in gull-wing, coupe, and roadster form. The September show will as well feature an entire class of “Microcars”, demonstrating that all that is new is sometimes old as well.
Along with many rare examples of rolling sculptures, the Concours team is also excited to present a selection of vintage unlimited hydroplanes for display on the water for 2009. Among a class that includes the famed 1962 Miss Bardahl will be the first three-point hydroplane, the 1937 Ventnor.
This esteemed ‘contest of elegance’’ is judged by national and international experts. One award is judged and presented by thirteen Junior Judges, a group of 6th through 9th graders from various Lake Washington School District schools. These Junior Judges also gain an understanding and appreciation for automotive history, the restoration process, and the mechanics of a non-profit event. Nearly three hundred volunteers, most of whom return each year, make this event possible.
Set on the beautiful shores of Lake Washington, the Kirkland Concours is enjoyed by individuals of all ages. Consult the Concours website at www.kirklandconcours.com or the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce for additional details.
2008 Best of Show - 1938 Alfa Romeo 8c 2900B Coupe, Touring Berlinetta
Invited participants are grouped into classes and judged based on their rarity, quality, presence, and most of all their elegance. The unparalleled beauty of this luxurious setting offers our guests, and visitors, a chance to relax and enjoy some of the world's most rare and unique examples of rolling and floating art in the world.
Visit the gallery to view previous years awards and outstanding winners.
Latest News
June 26, 2009
Junior Judges: Broadening Community Awareness
The Kirkland Concours Junior Judges program, established in 2006 as the first of its kind in the nation, provides an opportunity for young people—students from Lake Washington School District elementary and middle schools—to learn about the history, design and art that is represented by the unparalleled collection of classic automobiles on display at the Kirkland Concours d’Elegance.
This year there are 13 Junior Judges—eleven identified by their school principals and one young patient from each of the two beneficiary hospitals, Seattle Children’s Hospital and Evergreen Hospital Medical Center.
At the Concours, Junior Judges engage in a thorough assessment process which ultimately results in the selection of their ideal car. Over the months leading up to the Concours, the young people are coached on the criteria and nuances of judging and learn a scaled-down version of the regular judging protocol.
But as important as the judging itself, the Junior Judges also learn about the important work done by the two recipient hospitals and they learn about the importance of contributing to the community, an important value held by the Kirkland Concours founders and embodied in the program.
Junior Judges at the 2008 Kirkland Concours, Assessing the Features of an Important Race Car
June 15, 2009
2009 Classes
1. Mercedes Benz Classics
2. Mercedes Benz 300 SL
3. American and European Classics
4. Orphans
5. Microcars
6. Supercars
7. Brass Antiques
8. Special Display
9. Raisbeck Collection
10. Vintage Hydroplanes
11. Vintage Sidecar Motorcyles
June 9, 2009
What is "Uncompensated Care?"
The Kirkland Concours d’Elegance is an all-volunteer event that benefits children who lack the financial means to resolve significant health issues. The support of the community allows the two hospitals, to which the event proceeds are contributed, to accomplish an even broader mission: to prevent, treat and eliminate pediatric disease.
Seattle Children’s Hospital and Evergreen Healthcare Medical Center are each fully committed to never turning a child or family away due to an inability to pay for services. The Kirkland Concours event brings joy to both the attendees of this “contest of beauty” and to the recipients of the donations for “uncompensated care”. Only the most economically disadvantaged children and their families are recipients of the monies that cover medical costs that the families or insurance companies are unable to pay. Your support makes a real difference.
