Highlands Motoring Festival

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: March 2024 | Photograph By: Bernie Coulson

For automobile enthusiasts, the Highlands Motoring Festival, taking place from June 6 to June 9, offers a chance for admirers of automotive artistry to bask in the glamour of yards-long hoods of gleaming chrome and glistening paint.

What began in 2008 as simple single day car show with 114 cars in attendance, has evolved into an entire “holy” weekend for the motoring faithful. Voted Best Concours by Classic Motorsports Magazine in 2019, it has become one of the South’s most esteemed automotive events.

Spanning four days and three evenings across the Plateau, the festival kicks off on Thursday and continues with full throttle excitement until Sunday. Adding to the festival’s allure is this year’s Grand Marshall, Bill Warner, an acclaimed author, photographer, racer, car collector, and Founder and Chairman at Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

Perhaps nothing defines the Plateau more than its mountain roads with its perilous turns and stunning views. These serpentine roads serve as the backdrop for the festival’s most popular events; the 2024 “One Lap of the Mountains” Driving Tours.

The “Grande Drive” on Thursday departs at 9:00 A.M., covering over 175 miles, while the “Speciale” on Friday leaves at 10:15 A.M., covering 110 miles. These exhilarating driving adventures, designated as technical rallies rather than time rallies, are designed to give 50 lucky drivers and their passengers a chance to experience the mountains.

A high spot of the weekend is Friday evening’s Main Street Parade starting from Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park at 6:05 P.M. Held with assistance by the Highlands Police, the parade historically includes 100 cars, mostly antique cars and show cars, though anyone is welcome to participate.

The pinnacle of the weekend is Saturday’s “Classics in the Park,” a judged invitational car show. Approximately 85 total entrants are anticipated to be gleaming on the park’s grounds, including about twenty examples of some of the greatest and rarest cars from the golden era of classic cars.

The 2024 featured “marques” are Brass Era cars, named because of the light fixtures and accessories used to adorn the carriages, and Pre-war cars, automobiles manufactured before World War 2, normally defined as cars built between 1920 and 1940. Imagine an entire park filled with exquisite automobile classics, most in perfect condition with histories spanning a literal century.

Symbols of an era when workmanship was paramount, these are rare works of art on wheels and history, and as one viewer said, “make you want to go home and throw rocks at the family vehicle.” The event opens at 9:30am and is
free to the public, though donations are welcome.

Organizers are particularly thrilled with this year’s venue for the Saturday evening gala, the Vineyard at High Holly. Spirits, spirited conversation, dinner, silent auction, and conversation and programming with Bill Warner are included.

The final act in the weekend is the free “High Octane” social and car gathering at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park on Sunday morning, 8:30 A.M. At this second, more casual car show, all vehicles and cars of any age invited.

2024 Festival chair Ricky Siegel spoke about the importance of the Motoring Festival to Highlands and its contribution to local charities, “Our focus is to assist the underserved in our community by providing funding to REACH of Macon County, the Highlands Literacy and Learning Center, and the Highlands Community Care Clinic. Last year we were thrilled to raise $105,000 and hope to surpass that total this year.”

Funds are raised through entry fees, direct donations, and sponsorships. 2024 premier sponsors are: Porsche Cars North America, Porsche of Asheville, and Highlands Chamber of Commerce/Visit Highlands, NC.

For more information, visit highlandsmotoringfestival.com.
by Marlene Osteen
photos by Bernie Coulson