A Driving Show of Automotive History

Thousands of car aficionados from around the world are descending upon Greenwich this weekend with the 16th annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance.

This stunning array of cars are on display Saturday and Sunday at  on Arch Street in Greenwich. Described as a "Festival of  Speed and Style," has become an annual rite of late spring on the first weekend of every June and it's the brainchild of Greenwich resident Bruce Wennerstrom and his wife Genia, who passed away May 11.

The couple, long-time car enthusiasts and collectors, have developed the show into a two-day affair with American cars featured on Saturday and foreign cars on Sunday. There's also an auction of cars organized by Bonhams to be held at noon Sunday. Each year, the show benefits the Stamford-based international relief agency AmeriCares.

Wennerstrom said the show has raised about a $500,000 for AmeriCares. "Curt Welling, the CEO of AmeriCares, says 97 percent of their donations are goods and that 'You give us the cash' that helps them deliver those supplies," Wennerstrom explains.

The Greenwich Concours draws a Who's Who in the automotive collecting and car magazine publishing worlds including actor Edward Herrmann, who is back again this year as the show's chief judge. Even television's David Letterman has shown his cars at the show.

The auction at noon June 5 will feature more than 80 cars including the 1968 Maserati owned by the late entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. and the 1928 Rolls Royce driven by Robert Redford and Mia Farrow in the classic movie "The Great Gatsby." Wennerstrom said the auction draws collectors from around the world who either travel to Greenwich or bid by telephone.

Show hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily, rain or shine. Admission is $25; $40 for a two-day pass. For more information, log on to www.greenwichconcours.com.