The 70th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was supposed to happen in 2020, but that event gets a do-over for 2021. If it’s like everything from the restaurant down the street to the Foo Fighters re-opening Madison Square Garden to full concerts, everybody and their uncle is going to be there, so there’s plenty to be aware of before you go.  Hagerty is providing this guide to help you navigate the day:

When do I get my tickets?
Just about every question you could have about ticket sales, when to pick them up, whether you need ID or how the admission process works is beautifully detailed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance website. 

Read it. Print it out if you have to.

We’re not going to replicate that entire document here, but there are some things that bear repeating that we’ll get to in a minute. 

When Is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance? 
The event takes place on Sunday 15 August 2021.

Where is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance?
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is located on the 18th green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links, on 1700 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach, California. 

There’s a gate on 17 Mile Drive. Do I have to pay the fee?
No. Your ticket gets you through the gate, and covers the cost of parking, and a shuttle to the event.

How Much Does it Cost to Attend?
The opening ante right now is a General Admission ticket for $400. Be aware that the cost goes up to $500 on August 1, and if you expect to buy a ticket at the event, you’re probably going to be out of luck. 

For $900, you can purchase a Club d’Elegance ticket, which allows you to enter the Club d”Elegance for a place to get out of the sun for a few minutes. Club d”Elegance is located at Parc du Concours, a short shuttle ride away from the event itself. 

There are three more levels of tickets but at the time of this writing, those tickets are all sold out.

What Time Do I Get There?
The event officially starts at 10:30 a.m., but if you’re a car person in the least, you’re going to want to get there hours earlier than that. The entire event is great, but the most amazing part of the show is watching cars drive onto the field. Officially that starts at dawn. Ticket holders aren’t allowed onto the field before 5:30 a.m,, but you’d be well advised to get there and be ready by that time. It’s an early start to the day, but it’s the time when you’re going to be able to see the bulk of these cars running and driving under their own power. 

What Should I Wear?
Dress comfortably, with an emphasis on comfortable footwear, because you’ll do a lot of walking. The biggest challenge is the temperature. At 5:30 in the morning right next to the ocean, you’ll see temperatures in the low 50s, even in August. But once the sun rises, the temperature skyrockets into the 80s and higher. Wear a jacket that you can take off and fold into a backpack, and don’t make the mistake we did and forget to bring a hat. You can buy one at the concession stand, but it’s going to cost you. 

What Else Should I Bring?
It’s good to have a small, comfortable backpack to sling over your shoulder. There’s all kinds of memorabilia to buy, and you’re going to want to have a place to stash it. You’ll probably want to bring a camera, but consider whether you want to lug it all over the place, rather than just using your mobile device. 

Bring sunscreen. Once the fog burns off in the morning, the 18th fairway gets blasted by the sun, and so will you. Avoid the temptation to bring aerosol sunscreen and spray it all over yourself and multi-million dollar cars as you’re standing on green. Put it on ahead of time, and reapply when you’re away from the cars. 

What else is there to do?
If looking at the world’s finest cars in a beautiful location isn’t enough, your General Admission ticket gets you into Gooding & Co.’s Pebble Beach Auction, the Pebble Beach RetroAuto marketplace, the Pebble Beach Classic Car Forums (pre-registration is required, but you can wait on standby for a no-show), and you can also watch the Tour d’Elegance participants from various locations.

What about COVID restrictions?
You’re going to be on and off shuttles and attending the event with large groups of people. California restrictions on large groups were lifted on June 15, 2021, but the state still advises you to wear a mask if you’re unvaccinated, wash your hands frequently, follow safety rules at mega-events like this one. Visit the Safely Reopening California page for more information.

^{Photos courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.}