The Keeneland Concours d’Elegance Will Feature Cadillacs At The Prestigious Keeneland Race Track In Lexington, KY, on July 16th, 2023
July 16, 2023 @ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
$25
(Updated June 15, 2023) – On the grassy lawns of Kentuckys Keeneland Race Track, hundreds of car enthusiasts will gather to get a rare glimps at over 260 classic collectible cars and celebrate the heritage the Cadillac marque at the Keeneland Concours d’Elegance.
The two-day extravaganza will host a multitude of car-themed events, including a Saturday Car Show, a Sunday Rally, a Club Paddock Car Show, an Automotive Art Show, a Silent Auction, A Bourbon Tour, a Maserati Preview Mingle, and a 20th ANNIVERSARY Celebration Party.
It all takes place at the Keeneland Concours d’Elegance in Lexington, KY, on July 15-16, 2023.
The last Keeneland Concours d’Elegance Car Show featured this world-famous movie called the “1964 Leslie Special” that was featured in the 1965 American comedy the “The Great Race” starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood.
This year’s Concours d’Elegance collection of vehicles will feature over 260 cars prominently showcased in 17 unique and distinctive car classes from years to marques.
The cars on display will hail from unique private car collections, notable car museums, and well-known award-winning car collections. As with all official Concours d’Elegance, the cars will be judged by highly qualified historic car professionals and presented with awards at the end of the show.
This year’s classes will include the following car classes:
- Guest Marque And Detroit’s Own “Cadillac Automobile Company,” from 1902 to present
- American Convertibles and Roadster Car Collections Built Between 1947 – 1976
- American Coupes and Sedans manufactured between 1946 and 1976
- American Performance and Race Cars manufactured from 1955 to 1979
- European Sports and Foreign Classics all years, including Coach Built Classics
- Specialty car classes on display will include Corvettes, Cadillacs, and Firetrucks
- The Keeneland Concours welcomes rare collectible cars from the CCCA 1915 – 1948
- Other car classes include Future Classics, Loud & Furious, antique Carriages, and Motorcycles
Additionally, the Cadillac Automobile Company will be featured as the premier marque of the Concours. Since Cadillac’s inception in 1902, Founder Henry M. Leland built the Cadillac brand into a world-class luxury brand, starting with his first one-cylinder car called the Runabout. When the Cadillac won the prestigious 1908 Dewar Trophy Award (representing the best quality car manufactured that year), Leland capitalized on the award and started manufacturing the most luxurious cars on the planet. Afterward, in 1908, LeLand sold the company to General Motors, and the rest is history.
This will be a rare opportunity to get a glimpse of the full collection of classic vintage Cadillacs at the Keeneland Concours d’Elegance. There will be a large display of vintage 1950s and 1960s Cadillacs, as well as Cadillacs that date back to as early as 1903 and as new as 2024.
Cadillac examples on display encompass iconic classics such as an antique single-cylinder 1903 Runabout, a 1930 Cadillac V16, a 1948 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe, a 1959 Cadillac Coupe De Ville, a 1967 Cadillac Eldorado, and a 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. There may even be a 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ (EV) electric vehicle that you can try out for size.
In addition, another featured class will include Vintage “Fire Trucks”. Here you will see fire trucks as old as when they were built on horse-drawn carriages.
Both the Cadillacs and Fire Trucks will be part of the awards presented at the end of the concourse.
COMPLETE CAR SHOW WEEKEND EVENT SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, JULY 13TH
The first event of the weekend is called the “Bourbon Classic Car Tour”. The seven-hour tour is a one-of-a-kind road rally through the scenic Kentucky countryside and includes a visit to the Taylor Made Farm and a historic underground Buffalo Trace Distillery built in 1873. The Bourbon Tour takes place on Thursday, July 13th from 12:00pm to about 7:00 pm. Bourbon Classic Car Tour tickets will set you back $1,000 for one person and $1,500 per couple. You can pre-buy tickets at (Read more about the Bourbon Tour)
FRIDAY, JULY 14
On the following day, on Friday, July 14th, is a big bash called the “Concours Celebration Party”. This is a social opportunity for all the collector car owners, judges, VIPs, and staff to get together for hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and live music and swap stories. The party will celebrate a Keeneland 20th Emerald Anniversary, Sponsored by Bluegrass Motorsports, and will benefit the UK Healthcare Kentucky Children’s Hospital. The Party is a formal event – Cocktail Attire Recommended – takes place from 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm with tickets costing $125 per person. Tickets are available online at: tickets.keenelandconcours.com or by calling 859-806-3245
Saturday is filled with three separate events, which include a “Car Club Paddock Car Show”, a “Silent Auction”, and the Main Event called the “Keeneland Concours d’Elegance”.
SATURDAY, JULY 15TH
First off, starting at 9:00 am on Saturday, July 15th, is the “Car Club Paddock & Car Show”. The Paddock Show is a rare opportunity for car enthusiasts to get up close and personal with more than 500 privately owned collector cars from over 14 different car clubs made up of approximately 425 members. The cars include a cavalcade of highly collectible antique, vintage, and classic cars. This event is FREE to attend, and opens at 9:00 am. and closes only when the last car leaves the lot. And as always, all proceeds benefit the UK Healthcare Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
The Car Club Paddock & Car Show on Saturday will offer a rare glimpse at some ultra-exotic cars, supercars, race cars, sports cars, and touring cars – just to name a few. The Paddock Car Show brings together car collectors who want to display their pride and joy to other car enthusiasts. There will be no judging or awards at the Paddock event.
SATURDAY, JULY 15TH
On Saturday, July 15th, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is the highly anticipated 20th Annual “Keeneland Concours d’Elegance and Car Show”. The show will prominently showcase 18 car classes of over 160 world-class collector cars on the beautiful bluegrass grounds of Kentucky’s Keeneland Race Course. The grounds will be filled with all makes and models of award-winning collectible cars that range from 1900 to 2023. T
This year’s Featured Marque hails from Detorit’s own “Cadillac Automobile Company,” which will proudly show off a full house of Cadillacs from every era. Other featured category classes will include antique cars, vintage cars, muscle cars, sports cars, luxury cars, and even futuristic cars. All the car classes will be judged, and awards will be presented for cars outstanding in their respective categories at 3:00 PM. Tickets for the Keeneland Concours d’Elegance cost $25 per person at the gate. You can purchase tickets here. (Buy Tickets Here)
Keeneland Concours d’Elegance Highlight
• Saturday, July 15th, from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Award presentation at 3:00 PM
• Tickets Day of the Show at the gate $25 per person
SUNDAY, JULY 16, 2023
The “Sunday Tour d’Elegance and Luncheon” will be the last event of the weekend and happens on July 16, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. The Sunday Tour includes an unforgettable driving experience through Kentucky’s stunning horse country with pit-stops at iconic landmarks such as the Keeneland Race Course and the Kentucky Horse Park.
The tour also includes Kentucky-style gourmet cuisine prepared by a renowned chef that includes local Appalachia-grown vegetables and Derby pie. The Keeneland Sunday Tour d’Elegance driving experience tickets cost $200 per car and include both the driver & navigator.
CAR SHOW SCHEDULE FOR JULY 16, 2023
• 6:30 AM – Check-in opens for showcase cars and exhibitors
• 8:30 AM – All vehicles must be in position on the show field
• 9:00 AM – Judging begins for each car class
• 3:00 PM – The awards ceremony begins and presented to each owner for car classes
• 4:30 PM – Porsche will offer a raffle drawing
• 4:30 PM – The concours and car show conclude for the day
VENUE:
Keeneland is a National Historic Landmark
4201 Versailles Road Lexington, Kentucky 40510
TICKETS AND PARKING ( PARKING IS FREE ON DAYS )
The Keeneland Race Track is located just west of Lexington, KY, on the north side of US 60, directly across from Bluegrass Airport. The Concours driveway entrance will be at the intersection of US 60 and Man-O-War Blvd. Follow this road directly to the check-in, where there will be a tent where you can pick up your ticket and show information. Parking directions will be available at this location.
Last year’s 2022 Keeneland Concours d’Elegance presented the “Best of Show” award went to a 1931 Buick Model 8-94 Sport Roadster – David M. Landow from Bethesda, Maryland.
