By Gary Anderson

Since 1967, local automobile enthusiasts have looked forward to the annual Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance.

This year’s event, scheduled for June 23, will gather more than 300 of the finest classic cars in the western United States on the fields between Stanford Stadium and El Camino Real.

The event, managed by the Lions Club for the benefit of its charities and Stanford University’s athletic funds, is one of the finest shows for collectible cars anywhere. Gates open at 7 a.m. Admission is $15 for adults, with children 16 and under free. Awards will begin around 2 p.m. The last event will take place at 4:30 p.m., with the arrival of a group of cars built before 1935 from the Vintage Rally Association, which is holding a day-long driving rally over the coastal hills.

This year, in addition to classes for every marque of car from brass-radiator Reos to Packards to Jaguars, the show will play host to an unparalleled collection of military vehicles the organizers are calling “The Motor Pool.” Most of these vehicles are of World War II vintage, the first conflict in which motor vehicles played a significant role. Jeeps, scout cars, courier motorcycles, halftracks, tanks and cargo trucks will be on display to bring back memories for those who served and make history come alive for younger generations. This special event is being arranged with the assistance of Portola Valley collector Jacques Littlefield and his Military Vehicle Technical Foundation, the Military Vehicle Preservation Association and the Military Vehicle Collectors of California.

The automotive festivities will kick off June 22, with the Palo Alto Drive for classic cars, especially those entered in the Concours, which starts and ends at Stanford and winds through the hills of the Peninsula. Saturday evening, in partnership with the Concours, the Palo Alto Black and White Ball adopts the automobile theme “Pink Cadillac,” with many of the cars from the Concours serving as focal points for the charity event.

For more information, logon to www.paconcours.com.