Ault Park is trading quiet lawns for gleaming chrome this weekend as the Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance rolls into its 48th year, turning the park’s formal gardens into a rolling museum of collector cars and motorcycles. On tap are pre-war roadsters, modern supercars, and family-friendly displays that nod to movie cars and motorsport history, so it is very much not your average Sunday stroll in the park.
According to the Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance, the main show runs Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and names Mercedes-Benz as the featured marque for 2026 to mark the brand’s 100th anniversary. Event listings say more than 200 Mercedes cars and motorcycles will anchor that featured display, backed up by a full program of brunches, specialty classes, and curated exhibits.
Weekend highlights
The weekend kicks off with a countryside tour leaving from Mariemont Square on Saturday, followed by a Hangar Party at Lunken Airport that night, before everything culminates at the main concours on Sunday. As CityBeat reports, thousands of owners submitted vehicles for consideration, and the show will mark anniversaries for the Cars and Fast & Furious franchises, including a talking replica of Tow Mater shipped in from Dallas.
Getting there and logistics
Spectators are urged to skip trying their luck inside Ault Park, where parking is extremely limited, and instead use the Fifth Third Bank spectator lot and shuttle. Per the event’s maps and parking page, drivers should enter the spectator lot at 5020 Duck Creek Road, where free shuttle buses will run continuously between the lot and the showgrounds.
Why it is unique
Organizers say staging the concours in Ault Park’s formal gardens gives the whole thing more of an outdoor museum vibe than a typical golf-course concours. Dave Sheehy, chairman of the Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance Foundation board, told CityBeat that the event’s longevity and setting are what set it apart, adding, “You’ll see cars here that you won’t see anywhere else.”
Tickets, kids and charity
Advance listings put general admission at $45 for adults and $15 for students, with kids 12 and under admitted free, according to Visit Cincy. The weekend also features a Legacy Library for children and youth-judging programs, and proceeds benefit arthritis-related charities tied to the concours’ nonprofit foundation, as WLWT has reported.
Whether you are there for rare Mercedes, movie cars, or the craft beer garden and brunches, the Concours brings a distinctly Cincinnati flavor to a national-level event. Organizers recommend arriving early and using the shuttle, and point spectators to the event’s official site for the full schedule and field maps.
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