Car events in California
Monterey Car Week anchors August on the peninsula; the rest of the year runs from Long Beach’s JCCS and Petersen mornings to LA and San Diego auto shows, Wekfest halls, and GRIDLIFE at Laguna Seca.
Upcoming
IndyCar Grand Prix of Monterey 2026
September 4–6, 2026 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca: NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale — race day Sunday, September 6.
GRIDLIFE Laguna Festival 2026
GRIDLIFE Laguna Festival 2026 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca: September 18–20 West Coast finale tickets, lodging, and how it differs from Monterey Car Week.
Wekfest Los Angeles 2026
Wekfest LA 2026 guide: Sunday, September 20 tickets, South Hall parking, and how it compares to JCCS Long Beach and the LA Auto Show.
21st Japanese Classic Car Show 2026 in Long Beach
Saturday, October 3 at Marina Green Park: free-admission kyusha gathering entering its third decade, with manufacturer-backed heritage displays and owner registration via JCCS.
LA Auto Show 2026
November 20–29 at the Los Angeles Convention Center: ten public days including Thanksgiving, with Pico Station access and sit-in shopping across South and West Halls.
Past & recaps
San Diego International Auto Show 2026
California’s second-largest consumer auto show filled the San Diego Convention Center January 1–4, 2026 — new models, EVs, and Family Day Sunday.
Petersen Japanese Cruise-In 2026 in Los Angeles
Record-breaking Japanese Cruise-In morning at Petersen
Wekfest San Jose 2026
Wekfest San Jose 2026 tickets, hours, and venue guide: Sunday, June 28 indoor curated car show at the San Jose Convention Center for Bay Area tuner and street builds.
Monterey Car Week 2026
Car Week 2026 closed with a Gable Duesenberg and a louder Japanese chapter
Bonhams|Cars Laguna Seca Auction 2026
Thursday, August 13, 2026 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca: Bonhams’ Monterey Car Week sale moves into the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion campus.
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2026
Reunion 2026: Japanese motorsport finally owned the Laguna week
Motorlux 2026
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at Monterey Jet Center — Hagerty’s Car Week opening-night cars, aircraft, and culinary field.
RM Sotheby's Monterey Auction 2026
August 13–15, 2026 at the Monterey Conference Center / Portola Hotel: RM Sotheby’s flagship Car Week evening sale for its 29th Monterey year.
Broad Arrow Quail Auction 2026
August 13–14, 2026 at The Quail Golf Club in Carmel: Broad Arrow’s official Quail-week Monterey Car Week sale — Hagerty’s Carmel auction alongside The Quail lawn calendar.
Gooding Christie's Pebble Beach Auctions 2026
August 14–15, 2026 at Parc du Concours: Gooding Christie’s official Pebble Beach Auctions inside the 17-Mile Drive Concours campus.
Legends of the Autobahn 2026
Thursday, August 13, 2026 at Pacific Grove Golf Links: Monterey Car Week’s all-German marque concours hosted by the BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi clubs.
Mecum Monterey 2026
August 13–15, 2026 at Del Monte Golf Course: Mecum’s Monterey Car Week auction — roughly 600 vehicles and 100 motorcycles on the peninsula’s volume block.
The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2026
Quail 2026: Japanese GTs on the lawn, Acura’s next design language off it
Werks Reunion Monterey 2026
PCA’s free-to-spectate Porsche field day — Friday, August 14, 2026 at Monterey Pines; $40 cash parking.
Concorso Italiano 2026
Saturday, August 15, 2026 at Bayonet & Black Horse in Seaside — the 41st Italian marques field during Monterey Car Week.
75th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2026
Pebble 2026: a Gable Duesenberg Best of Show on the 75th lawn
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New California events and calendar notes when we publish — plus Drive Notes for Asian North American drivers.