The Des Moines Concours is a premier exhibition of vintage, classic and special interest collectible motor vehicles that celebrates the fine art, design evolution, and amazing innovations of motor vehicles through the years, as well as the talented designers and engineers that created them. The Concours is held in downtown Des Moines on closed streets surrounding the internationally recognized John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park that features 27 works of art by 21 of the world’s most celebrated sculptors. The Des Moines Concours is a free event and open to the public with 2019 attendance exceeding 12,000.
Criteria for vehicle acceptance include authenticity, condition, rarity, design, engineering and innovative features and historical merit. Please note that replicas, reproductions or modified vehicles will not be accepted. The application deadline is August 1st each year. Use the online application below.
Classes for the 2020 Des Moines Concours will be announced soon. Our annual classes include:
- Antiques to 1927 Class – Cars, trucks, and vehicles from the beginning of motor vehicles produced through 1927
- Early Collectibles 1928-1942 Class – A broad range of collectible cars, trucks, and luxury cars produced between 1928 and 1942
- Atomic Age Collectibles 1946-1957 Class – Vehicles with post-war styling through to the ever-changing era of the mid-1950s
- Space Age Collectibles 1958-1967 Class – Big fins, loads of chrome, futuristic lights, and sleek body designs that carried through to the mid-1960s
- Preservation to 1970 Class – Unaltered survivors with only slight alterations like batteries, tires, and belts up to 1969
- Classics Class – High priced, low production automobiles with fine design and high standards from 1915 to 1948
- Exotics Class – High speeds and lots of power make these sleek, provocative extremes of design an attraction to anyone
- American Muscle Cars Class – Affordable high-performance rear wheel drive mid and full-size models up to 1973
- Motorcycle Class – Mechanical icons that influenced cultures with their design and engineering
If you have questions, please email us at application@desmoinesconcours.com .
The application deadline has passed. Please consider applying for next year’s event. Thank you to all that applied for 2019!
