Summer 2026

Car enthusiasts, Michael Wong and Roman Barnes, with Concours for a Cause founders George Anderson and Nile Estep. The annual event takes place August 11. C armel realtor and car enthusiast George Anderson grew up attending Concours on the Avenue, which brought auto displays to downtown Carmel for more than a decade. After it ended in 2022, he and his friend Nile Estep (of Good Roots Events) started brain- storming ideas for a new gathering. “The cars, the accessibility and the location really made that event special,” Anderson says. “We wanted to keep those features while mak- ing an event of our own.” In 2024, the two friends introduced Concours for a Cause. Free to spectators, the Ocean Avenue affair raises funds for organizations rang- ing from Cachagua Fire to AIM Youth Mental Health to Carmel River Watershed Conservancy. Organizers expect more than 250 high-profile vehicles on display in 2026. Attendees will vote on the top cars in several categories and enjoy enter- tainment that might include bagpipers, Beatles tribute artists, plein air painters and other surpris- es. Family-friendly activities and a culinary village featuring local chefs will round out the schedule. “We have a go-kart racetrack for kids. The parents can have a nice bite from a Michelin- star restaurant. It checks all the boxes in terms of what makes car shows fun,” Anderson says. The 2026 Concours for a Cause takes place Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For details, visit www.concoursforacause.com. Carmel Concours Gears Up for Its Third Year B Y R ENE E B R I NCK S SHORT CUTS EVENT 78 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 6 Photo: Kelli Uldall