Postponed: Restored vintage cars to be showcased in September

By Deborah Rose

Candlelight Farms in New Milford will be the venue and a provide a tranquil backdrop for a high-end auto event Sept. 23-24.

The event had been scheduled for July but was postponed due to heavy rains and storms.

The Connecticut Colonial Concours d’Elegance will showcase restored vintage cars, as well as offer a variety of events to highlight the beauty and mechanics of the automobile.

“There are tons of activities, and it’s family friendly,” said Kara Kenney, CEO of The RPM Agency, which coordinates the event.

Offerings will include the exhibit of automobiles, live entertainment, vendors, artisan booths, a wine pairing with local food, a Colonial dinner, and a VIP BBQ.

New this year will be the addition of vintage military vehicles, vintage planes, and new competitions, such as the 30 under 30 and the hot rod challenges.

“We hope the new 30 under 30 will bring in the next generation of auto enthusiasts,” Kenney said.

Several local businesses will be on site, too: Litchfield Distillery, Mine Hill Distillery, and White Silo Farm.

The weekend-long event will kick off with a party Sept. 22 from noon to 4 p.m. at The Bevy Co. in Southbury. A rally through Litchfield County will be held at 2 p.m., with it concluding at Candlelight Farms with a welcome reception at 5 p.m.

The Concours will be open Sept. 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the farm.

“We created an inclusive environment,” Kenney said of the Concours. “We’re here to say, ‘Hey, that’s a beautiful car.’”

Kenney, who has more than 20 years’ experience as a sponsorship and marketing expert in the sports, entertainment, and hospitality industries, said the event aims to celebrate and “reignite the appreciation for the art, engineering and creativity that goes into the creation and design of these automobiles, whether they’re turn of the century to 1960s, or the new (electric vehicles) coming out.”

Among the specialty cars to be exhibited will be, for example, a 1908 Baker Electric Coupe.

In addition, George Dragone of Dragone Classic Motorcars and Redline, and Wayne Carini will bring some of their classic cars.

Dragone Classic Motorcars has since the 1940s seen almost every kind of automobile, including sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s, brass and classic era cars, and modern supercars, according to its website.

Delages, Delahayes, the famous 1906 Locomobile Grand Prix car “Old 16” and the famous 1957 Ferrari 250 TR serial #0704 are among the vehicles that have been owned by Dragone.

Carini’s website describes how Ferrari drew Carini into the automobile world, first learning “the art of Ferrari restoration from his mentor Francois Sicard -- a former Ferrari racing mechanic and widely considered to be the foremost Ferrari expert on the East Coast -- and his good friend Luigi Chinetti Jr., whose father Luigi Chinetti Sr. won the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans race for Ferrari and opened the first Ferrari dealership in the country.”

Throughout his career, he has worked on rare private car collections.

Guest judges will judge several classes: America Car Open, American Car Closed, German Car, English Car, Italian Car, Muscle Car, Front Engine Ferrari, Beauty & Performance, Modified Car, Competition Car, Future Classic, Grand Touring, and Best in Show.

Specialty awards will be presented to: Most Outstanding Coachwork, Founders Choice Award, Preservation Award for Post-War, American Sports Car, Super Car International, Commercial Vehicle/Truck, Most Unique Design, and Colonial Concours Excellence Award.

Fees

General admission: $25 per day

Car Corral and Car Club participant: $30 per day

VIP admission: $75 per day

Saturday and Sunday VIP dinner tickets: $75 per day

VIP weekend pass: $275

Concours entrant car application fee: $65 per vehicle

30 under 30 and hot rod challenge application: $45 per vehicle

For more information, visit https://colonialconcours.com/

Photos courtesy of Colonial Concours d'Elegance