Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance Raises $195,000 for Charity & Looks Ahead to Ambitious Future
The 11th Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance drew 10,000 visitors and raised $195,000 for charity, as organizers set sights on $2 million and a weeklong festival.
The 11th annual Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival drew more than 10,000 visitors to the shores of Georgian Bay this September, celebrating a decade of growth as one of Canada’s premier showcases of automotive history and design.
The weekend-long festival opened Friday with the Tour d’Elegance, featuring more than 80 Concours vehicles in motion on a 100-kilometre scenic drive through Grey and Bruce Counties. On Saturday, attention shifted to downtown Owen Sound’s River District for Cars & Coffee, presented by Brackett Auto Group, where over 165 vehicles filled 1st Avenue West.
A crowd favourite, the “misfits” display featured 45 eccentric and unconventional vehicles—complete with tongue-in-cheek prizes such as Worst in Show. Entry fees from Saturday’s events were donated to the Brightshores Health System Foundation, helping fund critical hospital equipment.
Inside The Roxy Theatre, two sold-out seminars offered automotive enthusiasts an intellectual detour: From Grit to Gigabytes: The Early and Digital Eras of F1 and Presenting the All-New Porsche Experience Centre Toronto.
Winners and charitable impact
Sunday’s main event saw more than 120 rare and meticulously restored automobiles displayed along the 18th fairway of the Cobble Beach Golf Resort.
The prestigious Best of Show award went to Peter Boyle for his 1938 Steyr 220 Roadster. William Miller’s 1932 Duesenberg Model J earned Outstanding Pre-War, while Veron Smith’s 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz received Outstanding Post-War. The People’s Choice award went to Anthony Rinomato for his 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle.
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In total, this year’s event raised just over $195,000 for charity, bringing the cumulative total to more than $1.36 million since the inaugural Concours in 2013.
“After a successful 11th event, the Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance looks to the future,” said Rob McLeese, Founder and Chair. “We have our sights set on reaching a goal of $2 million to our charities in the next four years.”
Economic and community impact
McLeese said the festival’s continued success has also made it an important economic driver for Grey-Bruce.
“This event brings thousands of people to Owen Sound and the surrounding area from across North America each September,” he said. “These visitors stay, shop, and eat locally—and with that, we can always use more community involvement in terms of partnership, sponsorship, and volunteers.”
Looking ahead
Organizers are already planning for 2026, which will feature several new vehicle classes, including Orphan Cars of the Brass Era, 100 Years of Mercedes-Benz, Cars of the Jet Age, and a 60th Anniversary tribute to the Can-Am Racing Series.
McLeese said the long-term vision is to see Cobble Beach evolve into a weeklong “automotive experience.”
“We’d like to see the event grow into one of the top three Concours d’Elegance events in North America—it’s currently among the top five,” he said. “We envision this transforming into a weeklong automotive experience with different organizations planning activities leading up to Sunday’s Concours.”
The 2025 event also included a Canadian reveal of the Gunther Werks Turbo, which debuted one month earlier at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California.
For the full list of 2025 award winners, visit www.cobblebeachconcours.com/winners
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