The Des Moines Concours returns on Saturday, September 12, 2026 – Sunday, September 13, 2026, with the main Concours d’Elegance taking place on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines. For serious car collectors, this is the kind of field day built around originality, provenance, and clean documentation, with the Sunday show running from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and admission listed as free.

This annual two-day event provides a fantastic opportunity for motoring enthusiasts to admire a superb collection of cars. The setting at the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park offers an ideal blend of art and automotive design, creating a clean and captivating backdrop for vintage sheet metal and brightwork.

An estimated 100 top-tier vehicles are expected to be on display, showcasing a commitment to authenticity and historical merit. To learn more about this year’s collection and schedule, please visit the official Des Moines Concours website.

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FEATURED CARS

The 2026 field is built around authenticity, condition, rarity, design, engineering, and historical merit. The organizers state that replicas, reproductions, and modified vehicles will not be accepted.

Photos from a walk around the 2022 Des Moines Concours d’Elegance. Hundreds of classic automobiles are on display around the Pappajohn Sculpture Park in downtown Des Moines.

The 2026 featured classes confirmed on the event site include Cars of Pixar’s Cars movies and the Pontiac 100th Anniversary, alongside broader concours classes such as Antiques, Classics, Exotics, Preservation, American Muscle, Atomic Age Collectibles, Space Age Collectibles, and Motorcycles.

For collectors, that mix matters because it points to a show that values the right kind of metal: documented survivors, original trim, period-correct details, and cars that still wear their story honestly. The strongest examples here are likely to be the ones with unbroken lineage and factory-correct presentation, not the flashy rebuilds.

Among the most likely headline cars and model groups for this year’s display are Pontiac model examples spanning the brand’s 100-year tribute, Pixar-inspired character cars, pre-1928 antiques, 1950s Atomic Age collectibles, and unrestored or lightly preserved survivors in the Preservation class.

The event also spotlights American muscle up to 1973, which should give muscle car junkies and historians plenty to study in terms of trim, option codes, and original drivetrain presentation. In contrast to more modern shows, this event emphasizes classic examples.

A strong collector read on this show is simple: this is less about restomods and more about cars that can prove what they are. For car collectors chasing the next addition to a stable, the appeal is in seeing side by side the rare, the correct, and the well-kept.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

The weekend begins with the Des Moines Concours Charity Gala on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at the Krause Gateway Center. It is the social anchor of the weekend and the place where collectors, sponsors, and automotive enthusiasts gather before the main show day.

The main exhibition follows on Sunday, September 13, 2026, with the Concours d’Elegance open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Sculpture Park. The show remains free to the public, and the event organizers note that donations are encouraged to help support event costs and the charity partners.

Proceeds after expenses benefit Children’s Cancer Connection and the Des Moines Concours Automotive Heritage Grant. That charitable structure gives the weekend substance beyond the cars, and it is part of what keeps the event rooted in the local enthusiast community.

GUEST HOSTS & CELEBRITIES

Verified 2026 event leadership listed publicly includes Joseph Phillips and Steve Simpson as Co-Chairs. Additional 2026 team members identified by the organizers include Scott Edwards for Sponsorships, Scott Diehn for Marketing, David Holzinger for Exhibitor Care, Tom Wollan for Vendor Coordination, and Dylan Swicegood as Recruitment Chair.

The available event information does not clearly confirm a celebrity host or a named slate of honorary judges for 2026, so those details should be treated as unverified unless the organizers publish a formal roster. For car collectors who value provenance over publicity, that is not necessarily a drawback; the real draw is still the cars.

THE VENUE

John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park gives the Concours a setting that feels different from the usual fairground or golf-club lawn. The park’s downtown location, open green space, and modern sculpture collection create a clean backdrop for vintage sheet metal, brightwork, and long-hood proportions. For collectors, the contrast between art and automotive design works especially well.

FULL SCHEDULE & TICKET PRICING

• Des Moines Concours Charity Gala — Saturday, September 12, 2026 — 5:30 p.m. — $250 per person or $1,800 per table of 8 — Krause Gateway Center, Des Moines
• Des Moines Concours d’Elegance — Sunday, September 13, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. — Free — John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, downtown Des Moines

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS BY DAY

Saturday, September 12, 2026

The weekend starts with the Charity Gala at the Krause Gateway Center. This is the polished, after-hours piece of the weekend, where automobile connoisseurs can mix, compare notes, and talk through the cars they are following.

Sunday, September 13, 2026

The Concours d’Elegance takes over the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. Expect the strongest original survivors, class-specific displays, and a crowd of motoring enthusiasts focused on authenticity, condition, and historical merit.

EVENT SUMMARY

Des Moines Concours 2026 | John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Des Moines | Concours d’Elegance