Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance 2025 celebrates British roadsters

What began as a brainstorm for an event to celebrate classic cars and honor a gravely ill friend has grown into a highly anticipated annual gathering of thousands of auto enthusiasts.

In 1978, Helen Williams had a brainstorm for a June event that celebrated classic cars and honored her friend Bill Rudd, who suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis. A committee of eight collaborated with the regional chapter of the Arthritis Foundation to stage the inaugural Concours d’Elegance at the estate of Helen and William Williams.

The luxury vintage-car extravaganza grew through several venue changes and has loomed as a second-Sunday-in-June fixture in Ault Park since 1996, with more than 200 vehicles that compete for awards in 24 classifications, culminating with the Best of Show and Esprit de Sport (the Concours’ runner-up designation) for stately vehicles that transcend the field.

This year’s theme, Icons of British Motoring, celebrates legendary vehicles that are as venerated with the mythology of Britannia as Buckingham Palace and James Bond (a natural alignment, as 007 famously drove an Aston Martin DB5 and Lotus Esprit, both British automotive triumphs, on the big screen.)

Dave Sheehy, who serves as the Concours d’Elegance board chairman, has been involved with the event for 35 years, and, as the owner of two Alfa Romeos, is quite the exotic-car enthusiast. He noted that the event attracts approximately 6,000 people annually, and that featured cars, which used to only include those owned by regional enthusiasts, now attract those from owners nationwide. He said that Ault Park provides a highly attractive venue.

“A lot of exotic-car shows take place on golf courses, but the ambiance of a handsome city park provides a handsome backdrop for these beautiful cars,” he said.

Sheehy adds that this year’s theme tips the cap to Britain’s long tradition of automotive accomplishments. Significant anniversaries sometimes inspire themes; next year’s Concours d’Elegance will highlight Mercedes-Bens because it’s the German giant’s 150^th anniversary.

In addition to celebrating the speed, power, and grace of elegant rides, funds are raised to benefit the Arthritis Foundation’s juvenile-arthritis programs. To date, Concours has raised more than $1.5 million, largely through sponsorships that provide patrons premium access and perks in exchange for a donation. The Concours’ four sponsorship levels range from $950 to $2,800. For last year’s Concourse, more than 30 individuals and organizations stepped up and contributed.

Sixty judges evaluate the highly competitive field, assessing the vehicles’ aesthetic appeal and mechanical vitality. Gary Kessler, who’s served as the Concours’ official photographer for more than a decade, has documented vehicles’ power and the event’s pageantry in what has become harbinger for a renewal of the uniquely American mythos of summer on the open road.

Whether you’re a gearhead who can speak to the virtues of I6 versus V6 engines or simply appreciate the aesthetic of beautifully maintained embodiments of automotive history in a tranquil park setting, enjoy this gallery.

What: Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance
Where: Ault Park, 3600 Observatory Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208
Date: Sunday, June 8, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tickets: For all Concours d’Elegance events, buy tickets here.