Concorso Ferrari & Friends
When: Sunday, June 26th, 2016
Where:LaSalle Road, West Hartford, Connecticut
Admission: Free to the public
Information: ferrariandfriends.com
Miles of Deserving Smiles
This Sunday, Connecticut’s capital burgeons with Italian exotics, from Ferrari and Lamborghini to Maserati and the impossibly exclusive offerings of Pagani. But, more than that, Concorso Ferrari & Friends brings smiles to the faces of 40 children who are currently patients at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. The event kicks off with the “Parade of Kids,” where children battling illness are picked up and driven to the Concorso in the ostentatious motors of the well-heeled and philanthropic. The children are honored upon arrival, a dream come true for those that may not spend much time outside of the hospital.
Afterwards, more than 175 of the finest four-wheeled offerings ever to motor out of that boot-shaped European offshoot assemble on LaSalle Road in the heart of downtown West Hartford. What began in 2001 as a small gathering has exploded into one of the city’s largest events, hosting over 10,000 spectators in a single day. Expect both vintage and contemporary models, and not just run-of-the-mill coupes like the Ferrari 328; you’re as likely to spot an Enzo or 250 GT/L as you are to see an entry-level Huracan.
There’s concours judging to recognize the ‘creme de la creme’, but not in the Pebble Beach sense of the word – you’re probably safe not dusting inside your glove compartment. An opportunity to meet Lyn St. James, a former professional IndyCar driver who raced in the 24 hours of LeMans and the 12 hours of Sebring, is an added incentive for motorsports enthusiasts. Proceeds of a silent auction benefit the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center – one of the fastest-growing children’s hospitals in the Northeast and the region’s leading provider of pediatric surgical care.
