Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
April 9, 2021
Founder and Chairman Bill Warner provided the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) with a detailed overview of the Concours d’Elegance, its history, organization and impact on the local community at the April 6, 2021 FBCC Regular Meeting.
The Concours is a “by invitation only” show of cars of historical and design significance built prior to 1972, with exceptions for the honoree’s cars. Each year the event honors a renowned driver and the cars of their career. This year the honoree is a woman for the first time: Lyn St. James.
This year’s event will be held May 20-23 at the Ritz Carlton of Amelia Island. Complete information on the event, including the opportunity to purchase advance tickets, may be found at https://www.ameliaconcours.org.
Warner reminded the FBCC that the Concours Foundation has distributed $4M from this annual automotive event to charitable events including the Community Hospice of Northeast Florida and local Shop for Cops programs. The Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates that the annual event held at the Ritz Carlton of Amelia Island has an economic impact of $29.4M on the local economy.
The themes for this year’s event will focus on the emerging electric car with examples of electric vehicles that will be available soon. It will also feature older electric cars in the history of auto making. The spotlight will be on cars of Hispano Suiza, the Chevy Thunder and Porsche 935.
Warner mentioned some of the awards and accolades the Concours d’Elegance has gathered since its inception 26 years ago:
- The only two-time winner of Octane Magazine’s International Historic Motoring Award for Motoring Event of the Year (2013 & 2014)
- Named by Southern Living Magazine as one of the 20 top events in the Southeast.
- Named by Automobile Magazine one of the top 50 must attend automotive events.
- “Winning Amelia,” an NBCSN Special on the event is an Emmy winner.
