Before smartphones and easy internet access, bibliophile Bart McGrath noticed something missing at the Huntington Beach Central Library: a robust selection of children’s literature.
An employee confirmed that the decade- old library could stand to strengthen its kids’ section. So, McGrath set out to help.
“The future is with our children,” he said. “They need to be able to read and write.” A mechanical engineer with a passion for vintage vehicles, McGrath decided to launch a car show benefiting the library’s Children’s Resource Center.
Thirty-nine years later, the annual Huntington Beach Concours d’Elegance is still going strong—fittingly held next to the library in Central Park.
This year’s event takes place June 7–8. The show is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Spectator tickets are $15 per day. Children under 16 accompanied by an adult are admitted free.
Saturday showcases hot rods, custom automobiles, British cars and motorcycles. Sunday features American vehicles such as Chryslers, Dodges, Jeeps and Rams, along with foreign models like Jaguars, Ferraris and Datsuns.
“We cover a large cross-section,” McGrath said. “We are not car snobs.”
Dave Kunz and Randy Kerdoon, KABCTV automotive specialists, will serve as grand marshals.
Festivities include food vendors, live music, and a model train depot on Sunday. Both days conclude with awards presentations.
“Cars were a terrific invention,” McGrath said. “I see them as something much more than just a form of transportation.
“Before the automobile, most people did not travel beyond 20 miles from home. Cars give us the freedom to go where we want to go. They have opened up the world to us.”
For more information, visit hbconcours. org.