TO: Development Services Management Group
FROM: Allie Behrman, CPRP, Special Events Manager
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM
DATE: November 13, 2025
Title
RECOMMENDATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MANAGEMENT GROUP OF THE CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR AN IMPACT EVENT KNOWN AS "5TH ANNUAL DELRAY BEACH CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE 2026" TO BE HELD ON APRIL 17-19, 2026AT THE OLD SCHOOL SQUARE AMPHITHEATER, PARK AND FRONT LAWN AND ON NE 2ND AVE & NE 1ST AVE.
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Recommendation
Recommended Action:
The Development Services Management Group (DSMG) is asked to make a recommendation to the City Commission regarding the Impact Event known as 5th Annual Delray Beach Concours d'Elegance 2026 to be held on April 17-19, 2026. This event is deemed an Impact Event due to anticipated attendance of over 3,500 people or more on a calendar day.
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Background:
Delray Concours Foundation submitted a Special Event Application on July 21, 2025 for the impact event known as 5th Annual Delray Beach Concours D'Elegance to be held at Old School Square Amphitheater, Park and Front Lawn and on NE 2nd and NE 1st Ave on the weekend of April 17-19, 2026. Set-up for the event will begin Friday April 17, 2026 and continue on Saturday, April 18, 2026 and will include a VIP luncheon. The event itself will take place Sunday, April 19, 2026 from 9am - 4pm. The VIP lunch and event on Sunday will include alcohol. This is a free family event with museum quality cars to benefit Delray first responder and youth charities. The event will have food trucks, live music, merchandise vendors and automobile displays. The event will also feature a car up on a lift and a sand sculpture. The event producer will be requesting a waiver to use a 4ft white picket fence and barricades instead of the 6ft fencing for alcohol. The fencing will surround the entire campus for the event. A life safety plan was required and has been submitted and approved by the Fire Marshal. The fence will be in place not just for the alcohol enclosure but for safety especially on the front lawn. It will act as a barrier to keep people in the event footprint and from going towards Atlantic Ave.
The event producer has expanded the footprint of the event for 2026 to include the Front Lawn of Old School Square. The event producer received an approval of use of the Front Lawn from the Parks and Recreation director before going to SETAC. SETAC met and reviewed the application on October 16, 2025 and made a motion to deny the event with the front lawn due to public safety concerns. Police had issues with the fact that people will be distracted while driving and also will be crossing mid-block on one of the busiest intersections in Delray Beach at Atlantic and Swinton. SETAC met again on November 6, 2025 and discussed the concerns and the fact that there will be a fence/barricades up around the event area including along the sidewalk by Atlantic Ave, police were ok with the event using the front lawn as long as the fence was set 25 ft back from the sidewalk.
There will be no road closures on Friday or Saturday during set-up. The road closures of NE 2nd Ave and NE 1st Ave will only occur on Sunday, April 19, 2026 from 6am - 6pm.
The Delray Concours Foundation and the CRA Green Market have worked together to make both events happen. The Green Market will be utilizing the West Lawn and west side of the Front Lawn and including the green space in between the Vintage Gym and the Crest Theatre on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
SETAC and all departments have spent many hours to make this work for all parties involved. Many phone calls and emails in between SETAC meetings occurred to get to a solution for the event to have the fence up and to include the Front Lawn.
This is deemed an impact event by the City's Special Event Policy as one of the conditions of this determination is an event in which more than 3,500 persons are anticipated to attend on any one day. Delray Concours Foundation indicated in their Special Event Application that they anticipate an attendance of 9,000 persons.
Special Event Technical Advisory Committee (SETAC):
SETAC reviewed and recommended approval of the event.
In order for the Front Lawn usage to be approved by SETAC there must be a 25 foot set back of the fencing from the sidewalk on the Atlantic Ave side of the Front Lawn.
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
Delray Concours Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and will receive a 50% waiver of soft costs.
Timing of Request:
This is an impact event and therefore must go before commission.