Carmel's Car Week—The Joys and the Challenges

A Celebration of Community and Automotive Passion

Car Week has always been one of those magical times when Carmel-by-the-Sea feels both wonderfully expansive and intimately cozy. Expansive, because the world comes to visit—thousands of enthusiasts, stunning automobiles from every era, and that buzz of international attention. Intimate, because our village becomes the perfect stage, with charming streets and courtyards filled with extraordinary cars and people who appreciate beauty, craftsmanship, and community spirit.

This year, I experienced all three days of Carmel's downtown shows, featuring multiple promoters’ events across downtown. On the surface, they seemed impressive and the show logistics appeared seamless, the atmosphere infectious, and everywhere I turned I saw authentic joy. Yet at times, especially Thursday, I was shocked by the sheer volume of people absorbed into our one-square-mile village. It raised an important question: do we need ways to manage or limit numbers so Car Week remains extraordinary without overwhelming our town?

Infrastructure Challenges We Can Solve

Alongside the celebration came challenges. In a village already facing restroom shortages, adding thousands of visitors without additional facilities created stress. No extra trash receptacles or expanded pickup routes were arranged, leaving 30 volunteers as our main defense against litter. Parking was also severely strained, with downtown spaces almost entirely consumed by the shows. 

The Behavior That Must Change

More concerning were visitors who made life difficult for our neighbors. Loud cars shattered our peaceful atmosphere, drivers ignored stop signs, and some treated our residential streets as racetracks. Rows of exotic vehicles raced along our “straightaways”—not for driving joy, but chasing the perfect YouTube video or Instagram post. One resident texted me a couple times saying that at times there neighborhood felt like “hell on earth.”

What makes Carmel unique is that every street is residential and our entire village is one extended neighborhood. When visitors forget this, it undermines what we’ve worked hard to preserve. Families walking our streets should never feel at risk, and visitors should seek the peace and authentic charm that define us—not roaring engines echoing between cottages.

Looking Forward: Practical Solutions Within ReachSo what’s our path forward? We must implement stronger measures to prevent disruptive behavior—or reconsider Car Week’s role in our community. Protecting our residents’ quality of life must always be the priority. If we cannot achieve balance, no publicity or economic benefit can justify compromising what makes Carmel irreplaceable.

Several residents have said they miss the relaxed atmosphere that once accompanied the Tour d’Elegance’s casual arrival over lunch—a moment that beautifully brought community and visitors together with truly classic cars in a simpler, more relaxed spirit. Can this feeling drive future events?

A Vision Where Everyone Wins

The good news is that solutions exist. The County supervisors, Peninsula city managers, and police chiefs will be meeting to discuss collaboration efforts for the entire region. Focusing only on Carmel won’t solve the larger problem because in the eyes of Car Week visitors, all the cities run together connected by the roads they’re driving on. We can also insist that organizers provide more portable facilities, extra waste management, and balance their enthusiasm for their events with the effect on our community.

This year reminded us of both Car Week’s extraordinary potential and its real challenges. The next steps are in our hands. I’ve met with the new chair of our Community Activities Commission, and they will be gathering your public input while moving forward thoughtfully. Show up at their public meetings so, together, we can ensure Carmel remains not only a place for extraordinary celebrations, but above all, a village where residents’ daily life and wellbeing always come first. To hear a podcast generated from this column, visit cli.re/carweek.

Dale Byrne, Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea

dbyrne@cbts.us