With Car Week just around the corner, the county celebrates the highs and prepares for the lows.

The following will either bring a tingle of excitement or be enough to spoil the rest of one’s evening: It is just over two weeks before the start of Car Week.

Dave Faries here, noting that I fall into the former category. As someone with a love of all things automotive, I look forward to the events of Car Week. The folks at See Monterey, the county’s visitors bureau, do as well. Each year about this time, they host a media roundtable with representatives from several event organizers, as well as law enforcement officers and transportation officials in preparation for the 10-day spree, Aug. 7-16.

Those in tourism and hospitality are bullish for obvious reasons. According to See Monterey figures, Car Week brings more than 100,000 visitors to the area, practically filling hotels. Those pouring in for Car Week spent an estimated $130 million at area businesses. And there are other local benefits. Concours d’Elegance alone raised more than $4 million for charities dedicated to aiding young people in the county. Many other events partner with nonprofits.

Of course, Car Week is not without its inconveniences. Traffic can be an issue any day of the year on the Peninsula and highways leading into the county. But unless one is aware of the Car Week event schedule, the resulting change in traffic patterns can put you in a jam. One year, I was caught in a tedious crawl on Mark Thomas Drive thanks to two events in close proximity—but I expected that. What was surprising, however, was turning onto Del Monte Avenue afterward and finding it empty.

In view of this, the county established an online tool that provides real-time traffic information. So it’s good to keep mccarweek.com handy. Another resource is seemonterey.com. Those sites can tell you, for example, to find a different route to the Sand City Costco on Aug. 10.

Car Week has evolved over the years, and it continues to change. There are several new events on the calendar for 2026—including a showcase of electric vehicles and a lowrider party, both at Asilomar Hotel and Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove—bringing the total to some 35 official gatherings, over 40 percent of them free to attend (although a couple of those freebies come with hefty parking tabs).

But as we know, change isn’t always positive. As Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto told the roundtable, “The problems we’ve had are due to social media.” Over recent years, social media influencers and “young enthusiasts”—her words—have been involved in accidents due to speeding, clogged streets and caused other forms of disruption. Because of social media, Nieto added, “Those young people can gather quickly.”

Anniversaries are celebrated during Car Week. On the occasion of its 60th, there will be more Lamborghini Miuras in Monterey County than likely have ever been in one location before…well, besides the factory. But the big one is Concours d’Elegance itself, celebrating 75 years in 2026, making it the longest-running concours in the world.

So for some people, Car Week is a time to grumble (or take a break from the coast). For myself and others, it’s just about the best 10 days of the year. Either way, you can keep up with the news, the people, the cars and everything else Car Week brings in the pages of the Weekly, in this newsletter or online at montereycountynow.com.