Hagerty has reached a licensing agreement to produce Concours d’Lemons, a motoring festival designed to celebrate the oddball, mundane and unexceptional of the automotive world, the company announced.
Concours d’Lemons joins Hagerty’s portfolio of recently acquired automotive events, including The Amelia Concours d’Elegance, Concours d’Elegance of America and the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance.
Created in 2009 as a send-up of high-end concours events, Concours d’Lemons features vehicles that would never find their way onto the manicured lawns of Amelia Island or Pebble Beach, the company said. Judges, including celebrities from the automotive world, award thrift-store-sourced trophies to cars divided into classes such as “Rust Belt American Junk”, “Needlessly Complex Italian” and “Most Dangerous.” The show culminates in the presentation of the Worst of Show trophy. Over the years, Concours d’Lemons has grown nationwide with shows taking place during Monterey Car Week and The Amelia Concours d’Elegance, the company said.
Concours d’Lemons’ long-time organizer, Alan Galbraith, will join the Hagerty team to help lead the event into the future.
“It’s almost impossible not to smile when you see a once-forgotten misfit of the automotive world celebrated in the way that only Lemons can do,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. “We’ve been a long-time sponsor of Lemons so it’s a thrill to welcome Alan to our team. Concours d’Lemons ties the car community together while creating on-ramps for new enthusiasts.”
Hagerty’s first Concours d’Lemons as producer is set to take place during an all-new Cars & Community event, held on March 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as a part of The Amelia at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Concours d’Lemons will join Cars & Caffeine, RADwood and the event’s first-ever Kids Zone. A portion of ticket sales will support local charities.
“The Concours d’Lemons gets bigger and dumber every year and putting the show on the golf course is really ridiculous,” said Alan Galbraith, self-proclaimed “Head Gasket” of the Concours d’Lemons. “You’ll have Pintos and Pacers rusting away next to Ferraris and Lamborghinis, I can’t wait.”
“Lemons reminds everyone not to take themselves, or their car, even a horrible car, too seriously. If you have a sense of humor about yourself and your car, this is the event for you,” laughed Galbraith.
