Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival

What Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival does

The Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival, organized by Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance, Inc., a South Carolina 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002, produces one of America's recognized premier annual automotive lifestyle events in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Held each fall at Port Royal Golf Club, the festival's core product is a multi-day program featuring the Sunday Concours d'Elegance (200+ judged collector vehicles), a Saturday Car Club Showcase, and Signature Experiences (VIP hospitality with exclusive lounges, gourmet dining, and behind-the-scenes access). In 2025, the event set a record with 500+ exceptional vehicles and 22,000+ attendees, and has cumulatively contributed over $1,000,000 to youth education and community programs.

The organization serves three intertwined customer segments: collector car enthusiasts and exhibitors seeking premier automotive showcase experiences, affluent luxury travelers seeking destination experiences, and aspiring students benefiting from youth education initiatives (Hagerty Youth Judging ages 6-14, RPM Foundation scholarships, Michelin Junior Challenge Design, complimentary student admission). Revenue is generated through three primary streams: ticket sales across multiple tiers, tiered corporate sponsorships spanning Presenting, Classic, and supporting tiers with named partners including Lowcountry GT (2026 presenting), BMW, Hagerty, Hilton Head Lexus, Foreign Cars Italia, Critz Auto Group, and Savannah Airport, and Pinnacle Society memberships starting at $1,500+ in tax-deductible donations that fund the charitable mission.

Distribution occurs primarily direct-to-consumer through the official website (hhiconcours.com), a dedicated ticketing platform (tickets.hhiconcours.com), permission-based email and SMS marketing, organic social media, earned media coverage (Magneto Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, Hemmings, Classic Car Journal), and tourism partnerships including Discover South Carolina. Leadership comprises Executive Director Rick Sabol (appointed 2024/2025), COO Sawyer Matthews, and Acting Chairman Merry Harlacher, supported by a small operational team and a broader volunteer and Pinnacle Society donor community.

Name

Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival

Legal name

Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance, Inc.

Website

https://hhiconcours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit producing an annual automotive lifestyle event in South Carolina's Lowcountry, serving collector car enthusiasts, luxury travelers, and exhibitors through judged concours competitions, VIP hospitality, and youth education programs since 2002.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Concours Events & Lifestyle Experiences

NAICS

All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Motorsports & Racing Experiences (THAJAFAF)

Keywords

• Automotive concours events
• Classic car exhibitions
• Luxury automotive lifestyle
• Collector car shows
• Automotive charity events

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilton Head Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from selling tickets to the annual automotive weekend event, including various ticket tiers such as general admission, VIP experiences, and special event access.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from automotive brands, local businesses, and luxury service providers including presenting sponsors, classic sponsors, and community supporters.
3. Pinnacle Society Memberships: Tax-deductible donations starting at $1,500 that fund charitable initiatives and provide exclusive member benefits including VIP lounge access, event tickets, and merchandise discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival is an annual three-day automotive lifestyle event held each fall in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, featuring a judged Concours d'Elegance competition of over 200 of the world's finest collector vehicles, a Car Club Showcase of regional and national car clubs, premium Signature Experiences VIP hospitality packages, and Pinnacle Society membership. Organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, proceeds support youth automotive education through programs such as Hagerty Youth Judging and RPM Foundation scholarships.

Product overview

The Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival is a premier automotive lifestyle event combining multiple offerings: the main Concours d'Elegance competition (Sunday), Car Club Showcase (Saturday), Signature Experiences (VIP hospitality packages), exhibitor registration, Pinnacle Society membership, sponsorship packages, youth programs (Hagerty Youth Judging, RPM Foundation scholarships), complimentary student admission, media credentials, and volunteer opportunities. The event operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, with proceeds supporting youth automotive education and community charities. The 2026 festival will feature Jaguar as Honored Marque with Lowcountry GT as Presenting Sponsor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VIP Experience: A high-end hospitality and VIP experience program offering premium access, exclusive lounges, gourmet dining, and behind-the-scenes access to the event.
• Pinnacle Society
• Lowcountry GT

Products and services

• Concours d'Elegance (Sunday Main Event)
• Car Club Showcase (Saturday Event)
• Signature Experiences (VIP Packages)
• Pinnacle Society Membership
• Exhibitor Registration
• Sponsorship Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,000+ enthusiasts attend annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Lowcountry GTflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Presenting Sponsor for the 2026 festival. Founded by automotive collector Steve Menzies, Lowcountry GT specializes in coach-built and grand touring motorcars. The partnership includes enhanced hospitality, special experiences, and educational initiatives.
• Savannah AirportcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClassic Sponsor providing aviation access for the event, connecting attendees arriving by private aircraft to the festival venue.
• Foreign Cars ItaliacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClassic Sponsor representing luxury Italian automotive brands.
• Hilton Head LexuscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClassic Sponsor providing luxury automotive presence and support for the event.
• BMWcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClassic Sponsor representing the BMW brand at the event.
• HagertycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and partner supporting youth judging programs and automotive preservation initiatives.
• HemmingscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and media partner covering classic vehicle news and the festival.
• Port Royal Golf ClubcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner hosting the annual festival at their scenic golf course.
• Discover South CarolinacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerClassic Sponsor and tourism partner promoting South Carolina as a destination.
• Critz Auto GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and honored collector partner representing Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, and Sprinter Vans through Critz Auto Group.
• RPM FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner supporting students through educational scholarships and grants for automotive trades, aligned with the event's charitable mission.
• Novant HealthsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and healthcare partner for the event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance: Florida-based charity concours featuring collector vehicles, auctions, and luxury hospitality. Comparable charitable nonprofit structure, sponsor-driven model, and destination event format.
• Goodwood Festival of Speed: UK-based annual motoring festival combining moving vehicles, concours elements, and luxury hospitality. Comparable in combining automotive heritage with premium ticketed experiences and major automotive brand sponsorships.
• Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week: Rhode Island concours event featuring collector vehicles, tours, and luxury hospitality. Matches the Hilton Head event in combining judged exhibition with destination hospitality and similar sponsor/participation revenue model.
• The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering: Luxury motorsports gathering held during Monterey Car Week featuring curated collector vehicles and high-end hospitality. Comparable in premium pricing, intimate experience positioning, and affluent collector attendee base.
• Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este: Iconic Italian concours held at Lake Como featuring rare collector vehicles in a luxury destination setting. Comparable prestige positioning, judged exhibition format, and affluent collector/sponsor ecosystem.
• Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance: Annual judged concours event in Florida featuring exceptional collector vehicles and VIP experiences. Operates a similar format with auctions, sponsor activations, and luxury hospitality targeting the same collector and luxury traveler segments.
• Cavallino Classic: Annual Ferrari-focused concours and motoring event held in Palm Beach, Florida. Closely comparable format—judged showfield, VIP hospitality, sponsor integration—and serves a similar affluent collector audience in a destination setting.
• Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance: The world's most prestigious concours d'elegance, held annually in California. Both events feature judged exhibitions of collector vehicles, ticketed entry, VIP hospitality, and similar donor/membership structures; comparable in core product even if larger in scale.
• Concours of America at St. John's: Michigan-based annual concours featuring collector vehicles and judged competition. Directly comparable judged-collector-car format with similar sponsor and VIP package revenue streams.

Others

• Hagerty (events/media platform): Collector car media and insurance company that sponsors youth judging at the Hilton Head event. Functions as an ecosystem participant across concours events globally, including media, content, and event properties.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hhiconcours

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival