The 4th annual Historic Downtown Campbell Car Show was held on June 6, 2026. Our fourth running of this highly regarded car show again featured over 300 dazzling cars across a well diversified spread of types covering everything from unmodified originals, vintage trucks, and artfully restored classics to mind blowing custom cars.

This year, there were seven prize categories with a custom fabricated trophy awarded to the best car in each category.

Congratulations to our 2026 winners listed below.

• Best Import - Julio Grapa - 1963 VW Karmann Ghia
• Best Street Machine - Shane Marbury - 1966 Ford Mustang
• Best Muscle Car - Tom Hasenberg - 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302
• Best Truck - Ricky Rosas - 1958 GMC Truck
• Best Hot Rod - Dave Stohlman - 1932 Ford Roadster
• Staff Pick Award - Angel Palacios - 1957 Chevy 3100 Truck
• Best in Show - Michael Vanni - 1964 Chevy Nova

About our Best in Show Winner

If you're feeling underwhelmed when you found out which car won our Best in Show Award for 2026, look closer. The 1964 Chevy Nova restored by its owner, Michael Vanni is an impressive display of persistence and craftsmanship, specifically handmade craftsmanship. The build of his award winning 64 Nova was reserved and simple by design and took him 10 years to complete with many of the modifications needed to restore it being built with only hand tools (not even a lathe).

Scroll down to view photos of the winners. Click on the photos to learn more about each car in the image captions.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to everyone who helped make our 4th show a successful endeavor by sharing your unique and history-laden vehicles with our community. Apologies to everyone we had to turn away. The reality of relying on such a small team and staging a show in a downtown that only spans 4 blocks is having to know your limits and making the most of what you have.

The smallness of the team is one of the things that makes the Historic Downtown Campbell Car Show so remarkable. A show of this stature is a mammoth task and for it to be produced by such a small number of volunteer organizers is incredible in the literal sense of the word.

These were the tireless people who were largely responsible for the 2026 show happening:

• Mike Van Sant (The Olive Bar)
• Amy Taylor (Cloud City Supply)
• Carol Pouya (Retired Downtown Campbell Business Owner)
• Sheldon Chang (Social Wave)

We also had somewhere around 100 volunteers who helped with a variety of important tasks from running our check-in process to operating popcorn...Read More

Kids age 6-13, join Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Monterey's Bullyproof Summer Camp, July 13-17, 9am-12pm. $400 per child. Register today. All skill levels are welcome.

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is located at 800 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

About the Camp

This summer camp is perfect for kids ages 6-13 who are new to martial arts. It’s a great way to learn essential self defense and life skills.

The camp provides a safe, supportive community and offers an atmosphere to try new things and foster friendships, teaching self-defense, building confidence and resilience, and having fun. Learn more here.

The newest cohort of the City of Monterey's First City Academy ended their 9 week program on May 20, 2026, and the New Monterey Business Associaton's Administrator, Sabrina Hiltunen, was one of the 42 graduates!

Sabrina writes. "In addition to the extensive training and information I learned about the City of Monterey and the individual departments, First City Academy allowed me to build rapport and strengthen working relationships with City leaders. This included our new City Manager, Dante Hall, who participated in First City Academy sessions upon his arrival to Monterey."

In her role with the NMBA, Sabrina works daily with the City of Monterey across multiple departments - everything from the Streets and Utilities Maintenance Division to the City Manager’s Office - to serve and represent small businesses in the Lighthouse District. We thank Sabrina for devoting her Thursday evenings to the program this spring. We know the knowledge she gained will benefit NMBA members in the long run.

About First City Academy

First City Academy, a community program presented by the City of Monterey, teaches participants about topics such as city management, community engagement, community services, public works, police, community development, fire and emergency management, economic development, budgeting, technology, and human resources. In short, it covers how the City is funded, how services are delivered, and how decisions are made.

We salute everyone who participated in the Spring 2026 program. In the words of City Manager Dante Hall, "Citizen academies strengthen transparency, build trust, and empower residents to play an active role in shaping their community."

If you're interested in joining First City Academy in one of the upcoming sessions, please keep an eye on this webpage for details.

The newest cohort of the City of Monterey's First City Academy ended their 9 week program on May 20, 2026, and the Old Monterey Business Association's Executive Director, Sabrina Hiltunen, was one of the 42 graduates!

Sabrina writes. "In addition to the extensive training and information I learned about the City of Monterey and the individual departments, First City Academy allowed me to build rapport and strengthen working relationships with City leaders. This included our new City Manager, Dante Hall, who participated in First City Academy sessions upon his arrival to Monterey."

In her role at the OMBA, Sabrina works daily with the City of Monterey across multiple departments - everything from the Streets and Utilities Maintenance Division to the City Manager’s Office - to serve and represent small businesses in Downtown Monterey. We thank Sabrina for devoting her Thursday evenings to the program this spring. We know the knowledge she gained will benefit OMBA members in the long run.

About First City Academy

First City Academy, a community program presented by the City of Monterey, teaches participants about topics such as city management, community engagement, community services, public works, police, community development, fire and emergency management, economic development, budgeting, technology, and human resources. In short, it covers how the City is funded, how services are delivered, and how decisions are made.

We salute everyone who participated in the Spring 2026 program. In the words of City Manager Dante Hall, "Citizen academies strengthen transparency, build trust, and empower residents to play an active role in shaping their community."

If you're interested in joining First City Academy in one of the upcoming sessions, please keep an eye on this webpage for details.

This summer, Bobalicious and Bites wants to thank our local community! Every Monday through August 3, local residents enjoy 15% off your order when you show your ID.

Our family-run business is proud to serve boba, tea, ice cream, slushies, and ice cream floats and shakes right here in Monterey. With a busy summer tourist season ahead, we're taking Mondays to show appreciation to the people who support us year-round - our locals.

Open 12pm-8pm on Mondays, Bobalicious and Bites is located at 474 Tyler Street in Downtown Monterey.

All vintage books behind the desk at Old Capitol Books are now 50% off through the end of June 2026. Come grab your selection while the it's still here. We're located on the 2nd floor of 482 Alvarado Street (accessible via stairs or elevator).

We've got so many books waiting to come into the shop that they're are starting to tap their little book toes with impatience! Help make some space for them by picking up one - or twenty - of our vintage books at a great price. We're open Tue-Sun, 12pm-6pm.

Extended summer hours have begun at High Scores Arcade! We're now open Mon-Thu, 12:30pm-10pm; Fri & Sat, 12:30pm-12am; and Sun, 12:30pm-11pm. Visit us at 459 Alvarado Street in Downtown Monterey for the quintessential summer arcade experience.

Pricing

Pricing is $10 per hour of unlimited gaming, or $22 per day of unlimited gaming with in-and-out privileges. Please note: every guest on the game floor must have a paid wristband.

New Games Arriving Soon

On June 11, we'll have fresh video games hitting the floor, including Atari’s Crystal Castles (a maze video game released in 1983) and the original Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo released in 1996. Come try them out!

About High Scores Arcade

High Scores Arcade is a small, family-owned business dedicated to video game preservation and all-ages fun. We focus primarily on video games from the early to mid 1980s - the golden age of arcade gaming.

Thank you to everyone who came out to Downtown Campbell for the day to enjoy our 4th annual car show yesterday. We will have photos and a wrap-up report with photos of our seven show winners soon. There are thousands of photos to review so it'll take about a week.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help us staff this event. It may surprise some people, but an event like this was organized by volunteers and staffed by volunteers. Some of them did it because they love cars, some did it because they love their community, and some did it because they love Downtown Campbell.

Also thank you to all of the people who entered their cars into our show. This was a labor of love every step along the way and we thank everyone who came to support it.

Thank you to Monterey's newest 4th of July Parade business and organization sponsors!

The Belardo Family
Foolish Times
Integrated Physician Services
InterContinental The Clement Monterey
League of Women Voters of Monterey County
Manasiri's Crepes
Mechanics Bank
Merritt House Hotel
Monique Kaldy Properties
Monterey Bay Parent Magazine
Nacho Bizness

Interested in becoming a parade sponsor? Learn more here.

The Monterey 4th of July Parade is a production of the Old Monterey Business Association.

We're not only putting on a car show that car enthusiasts are calling a show you must not miss, but we've booked all of our favorite bands to provide live entertainment throughout all of Downtown Campbell. Music will begin around 11am and check out these bands we've got for you!

The Sidewinders
at E. Campbell Ave. and 1st St.

The Greasy Razzles
at west end of E. Campbell Ave.

Blue House
at Water Tower Kitchen

The Wanderers
in the Courtyard

Kurt and Johnny
at east end of E. Campbell Ave.

Also be sure to join us for prize drawings at 2pm and the awards ceremony at 2:30pm. The drawing and awarding of the trophies will take place near the Olive Bar at 242 E. Campbell Ave.

The hardware we're handing out to each of the seven show winners are works of art in their own right, custom crafted from scrap auto parts by one of our show judges. These are no ordinary trophies. You have to see them.

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors

As you may know, we're putting on a car show on Saturday, June 6, 2026 and it'll be more than just a car show. Even if you don't care for dazzling cars, it'll be a good time from 9am to 3:30pm.

We will also have...

• 5 Bands: The Sidewinder Band, The Wandering Acoustics, Blue House, the Greasy Razzles, and Kurt and Johnny.
  ➞ More About the Bands
• Beer & Wine to Go
• Free Popcorn

Be on the lookout for "Filling Station" signs. That's where you can buy beer or wine in to-go cups that you can walk around with.

You can get drinks to go from:

• 7 Stars Bar & Grill
• Blue Line Pizza
• Doppio Zero
• El Guapo's
• La Pizzeria
• Naschmarkt Restaurant
• One Fish Raw Bar
• Sushi Confidential
• Tessora's Wine Bar
• Water Tower Kitchen

Each location will be serving their own selections of beer and wine in official festival cups and glasses that you can walk around with. Prices will vary from place to place. They're not serving "festival beer" or "festival wine".

You will also be able to buy non-alcoholic drinks anywhere that sells them or bring your own. The participating locations are the only ones who are allowed to sell you alcoholic drinks to go.

Also be on the lookout for specials from our restaurants and shops. Many of them will be running specials on the day of the show.

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors

The biggest soccer celebration is about to begin! Enjoy every match at Mission 19 Taqueria, located at 598 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey.

Treat yourself to our delicious tacos, burritos, and favorite Mexican dishes while cheering on your team. We'll have great specials during every game, a wide selection of ice-cold beers, and the perfect atmosphere to enjoy every moment of the action.

Gather your family and friends and come celebrate soccer with us. All ages welcome!

Summer specials are here at Monterey Core Fitness! Now is the perfect time to start your fitness journey, stay consistent, and feel your best.

Located at 191 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey, we offer women's strength training classes, personal training, open gym access, and a supportive community. Ages 14+ are welcome with parental supervision.

Summer Specials

3-Month Gym Membership - $150

5-Pack, 30-Minute Sessions - $250

5-Pack, 50-Minute Sessions - $350

5-Pack, Group Training Sessions - $100

Register

Learn more and register here.