More than 180 vintage cars, trucks and motorcycles will converge on the campus of the Kansas City Art Institute this Sunday, June 26, for the fifth annual Art of the Car Concours, an event that draws exceptional vehicles from collectors in eight Midwestern states. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Marshall Miller, the Kansas City attorney and vintage car aficionado who founded and serves as chairman of the event, said that the concours has grown to become the largest concours focusing on original vehicles in the Midwest. “There is no similar event in Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, St. Louis or Dallas. As a result, exhibitors, sponsors and visitors from around the country will be traveling to Kansas City for the Concours. This year we have many new vehicles that will delight our guests. We especially encourage multi-generations of families to attend, as that is how I started my interest.”
Spectators can expect to see cars that have appeared at such prestigious concours as Pebble Beach and Amelia Island, as well as cars from private collections that have never been shown before.
The Art of the Car Concours succeeds by breaking with the usual way of doing things. For instance, there is no judging, and there are no vehicle classes. Instead, the top five finishers in the “People’s Choice” balloting will receive trophies created by a KCAI alumna, while other trophies will be awarded by the event’s corporate sponsors, the president of KCAI and Miller, the chairman. These special trophies will be for such categories as “best color” and “car we’d most like to insure.” “The intention is to provide a wide range of very high-quality, original, vintage vehicles in an eclectic, informal setting, without the pressure of traditional Concours events,” Miller said.
Tickets may be purchased for $12 at the Concours website, or for $15 at the gate on the day of the event. Children 10 years old and younger, as well as active duty military (with identification), will be admitted without charge. For those who’d like to watch the cars roll onto the field, early-bird tickets are available, too.
The Kansas City Art Institute is located at 4415 Warwick Boulevard in Kansas City.