Free Monterey Car Week Events 2026

Where. Custom House Plaza · Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940

What you'll see. A family-friendly opener: classic race cars, driver meet-and-greets, live music, giveaways and an atmosphere thick with anticipation.

Nobody publishes this: Consistently reported as free and open to the public, 5–7 p.m. on the 300 block of Alvarado Street, with Reunion race cars and driver meet-and-greets. seemonterey.com — the destination-marketing site that hosts the official listing — blocks automated reads, so this is not quoted from the organizer.

Where. Monterey History & Art Association · 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940

What you'll see. An immersive exhibit on the birth of Monterey Bay automotive culture, with rare early racing vehicles, artifacts and memorabilia in partnership with History San Jose.

Nobody publishes this: Monterey History & Art publishes the run — August 7 at noon through August 17 at 4:00 p.m. at the Stanton Center, 5 Custom House Plaza — but states no admission price either way. It is a museum exhibit, so an entry fee is plausible; call ahead if the price matters.

Where. Monterey History & Art Association · 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940

Nobody publishes this: Monterey History & Art publishes the run — August 7 at noon through August 17 at 4:00 p.m. at the Stanton Center, 5 Custom House Plaza — but states no admission price either way. It is a museum exhibit, so an entry fee is plausible; call ahead if the price matters.

Where. Monterey History & Art Association · 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA 93940

Nobody publishes this: Monterey History & Art publishes the run — August 7 at noon through August 17 at 4:00 p.m. at the Stanton Center, 5 Custom House Plaza — but states no admission price either way. It is a museum exhibit, so an entry fee is plausible; call ahead if the price matters.

Where. Monterey Peninsula · Monterey, CA 93940

What you'll see. Scenic drives, car culture and charitable impact combined into one day of passion, purpose and performance.

Nobody publishes this: The organizer's page gives the date and the place but says nothing about admission either way, so there is nothing here for us to quote. Ask them directly before you plan around it.

Where. Carmel Valley Historical Society · 77 W Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel Valley, CA 93924

What you'll see. Over 80 classic and modern British cars on a lawn framed by the Santa Lucia Mountains. Aston Martins to Triumphs — no polishing required.

Confirmed free: Organizer states “Spectators, kids, and dogs are always free and encouraged.” Show entries are sold out; spectators are not affected.

Where. Porsche Monterey · 1781 Del Monte Blvd, Seaside, CA 93955

What you'll see. Heritage and Horsepower at 1781 Del Monte Blvd, celebrating the timeless legacy and performance of the Porsche 911.

Nobody publishes this: The dealer's own ticketing listing confirms Monday, August 10, 3:00–7:00 p.m. at 1781 Del Monte Blvd, but registration has since closed and no longer shows a price, so the free-admission claim could not be read back from the organizer. porschemonterey.com blocks automated reads.

Where. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca · 1021 Monterey Salinas Hwy, Salinas, CA 93908

What you'll see. Preview all lots at the Bonhams | Cars auction marquee, at its new home at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Confirmed free: Bonhams states this day is “free and open to the public,” 9am–6pm. Tuesday only — the Wednesday and Thursday previews are ticketed, and Thursday's auction seating is reserved for registered bidders.

Where. Ocean Avenue · Ocean Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

What you'll see. Vintage cars, cultural experiences and local artists along Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea, supporting local nonprofits.

Confirmed free: Organizer states the event is “free and open to the public.” No ticket.

Where. Ocean Avenue · Ocean Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

What you'll see. 52 Aston Martins line Ocean Avenue — the event's biggest turnout yet.

On a public street: The organizer never states admission either way. What their site does show is that the only things they sell are entrant registration and merchandise — hats, posters, stickers, shirts — with no spectator ticket of any kind on the site. That plus a public street on Ocean Avenue is strong circumstantial evidence, and it is still not the organizer saying it, so this stays flagged.

Where. Lighthouse Avenue · Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950

What you'll see. Mini, micro, electric, steam and arcane vehicles take over Lighthouse Avenue in downtown Pacific Grove, noon to 5 PM.

Confirmed free: Organizer states the show “is free of charge to all spectators.” 125 vehicles, 25 years and older, 1,800cc or less, on Lighthouse Avenue between Fountain Avenue and 19th Street.

Where. Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach · 1518 Cypress Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

What you'll see. A nine-day drive from Kirkland, Washington to Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach arrives on the Peninsula.

Free to watch, but: Nobody charges you to watch, but getting there is not free and not simple. Casa Palmero sits inside the Del Monte Forest gates: 17-Mile Drive costs $12.50 per vehicle, reimbursed if you spend $35 or more at a Pebble Beach Resorts restaurant (Pebble Beach Market excluded). The 13th–16th closure has not begun on the 12th, so general traffic can still enter — but parking at the Casa Palmero garage and the 17th Hedgerow is by reservation only on August 10, 11 and 12, on 831-625-8536. The organizer's participant itinerary gives an arrival ETA of 4:30 p.m. and says nothing about public viewing; their page labels that line “Wednesday, August 11”, which cannot be right, since August 11 is a Tuesday. For the same cars with no gate fee and no reservation, the organizer points at Thursday's Tour d'Elegance.

Where. 17-Mile Drive & Highway One · Pebble Beach, CA 93953

What you'll see. Elegance in motion: more than 150 Concours entrants prove their roadworthiness on a route rerouted away from Big Sur, staying inside Pebble Beach and Monterey while the Timber Fire burns.

Confirmed free: Organizer states “the public is invited to view the Tour, without fee, at several points.” Cars gathered from 7:00 a.m. and left Portola Road near Concours Village at 9:30 a.m. The route was changed because of the Timber Fire: instead of running down the coast to Big Sur it stayed in Pebble Beach and Monterey — out along 17-Mile Drive to Highway 1, north-east through Monterey to Highway 68, and back via Olmsted and Aguajito roads. Chairman Sandra Button: “We quickly came to this decision because we don't want to impact the efforts of firefighters.”

Where. Pacific Grove Golf Links · 77 Asilomar Blvd, Pacific Grove, CA 93950

What you'll see. A premier all-German marque Concours d'Elegance returning for its 16th year to Pacific Grove Golf Links — Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Free to watch, but: The organizer's own FAQ answers it directly — “Spectator admission is free, but spectator parking costs …” — so walking in costs nothing and the charge is for the car. Use $30 prepaid / $40 on the day: those are the prices on the organizer's current 2026 pages and the Pacific Grove Chamber listing. The FAQ still quotes $25, but it sits under the site's `xv-faq` path — the fifteenth annual, i.e. last year — so treat its price as stale and its admission answer as current. Show runs 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at Pacific Grove Golf Links, 77 Asilomar Avenue.

Where. Peter Hay Golf Course, Pebble Beach · 1700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

What you'll see. Over 60,000 sq ft of interactive manufacturer displays, open to the public at no cost.

Confirmed free: Organizer states it is “open to the public at no cost.” Thursday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Concours Sunday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Across from the Pebble Beach Auctions at Forest Lake Road and Stevenson Drive.

Where. Asilomar Conference Grounds · 800 Asilomar Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950

What you'll see. Classic wood-paneled cars, live music, food and drink on the wooded Asilomar grounds.

Confirmed free: The Santa Cruz Woodies Club, who co-present the show, state for 2026 that “the show is free for spectators as well as woodie owners” with “no registration required”, 12:00–5:00 p.m. in the Grand Cypress Meadow. Asilomar separately offers an optional $45 presale wristband for the food and beer garden — entry to see the cars is not what that buys. Note that Asilomar's own page still shows an undated “Thursday, August 14”, which was the 2025 date; both the club and the Pacific Grove Chamber give Thursday, August 13 for 2026.

Where. Monterey Pines Golf Course · 1250 Garden Rd, Monterey, CA 93940

What you'll see. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 924 and the transaxle Porsches, the feature cars for Werks Reunion 2026.

Free to watch, but: Organizer states spectators are “free to attend”. Spectator parking is $40 per car and $20 per motorcycle, cash only; complimentary with an active Military ID. Check-in opens 7:00 a.m.

Where. Peter Hay Golf Course, Pebble Beach · 1700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Confirmed free: Organizer states it is “open to the public at no cost.” Thursday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Concours Sunday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Across from the Pebble Beach Auctions at Forest Lake Road and Stevenson Drive.

Where. Downtown Pacific Grove · Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950

What you'll see. A rally drive along the Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach shoreline for vintage, classic, sports and luxury vehicles.

Confirmed free: Organizer calls it “one of the most popular free-to-spectator events.” Cars stage on Lighthouse Avenue from 10:00 a.m. and depart on the rally at 2:00 p.m., running Ocean View Boulevard and 17-Mile Drive.

Where. Seaside City Hall lawn · 440 Harcourt Ave, Seaside, CA 93955

What you'll see. Hoopties of all description return to the Seaside City Hall lawn to compete for the coveted “Worst of Show” trophy.

Confirmed free: The organizer's own ticketing listing states “Spectators Free — Hoopties Must Register”: free to watch, registration only if you are bringing a car. 8:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m. at 440 Harcourt Avenue. (24hoursoflemons.com blocks automated reads; this is from their Eventbrite listing for the same event.)

Where. Peter Hay Golf Course, Pebble Beach · 1700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Confirmed free: Organizer states it is “open to the public at no cost.” Thursday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Concours Sunday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Across from the Pebble Beach Auctions at Forest Lake Road and Stevenson Drive.

Where. Peter Hay Golf Course, Pebble Beach · 1700 17 Mile Dr, Pebble Beach, CA 93953

Confirmed free: Organizer states it is “open to the public at no cost.” Thursday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Concours Sunday 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Across from the Pebble Beach Auctions at Forest Lake Road and Stevenson Drive.