The Stony Brook University Center for Italian Studies will host the 19th annual Robert D. Cess Concorso d’Eleganza Annual Celebration of Italian Vehicle Excellence and Beauty on Sunday, September 14.
The show, which is free and open to the public, was postponed by inclement weather from its original date of September 6.
The Concorso is extremely popular among auto enthusiasts and features examples of “art forms on wheels” as a means of illustrating one form of Italian culture. Various Italian vehicle groups will be represented at the show, which will take place from 10 am to 1 pm in Parking Lot 2, off Circle Road, adjacent to the Charles B. Wang Center and Tubman Hall.
The Center for Italian Studies founded the event in 2006, thanks to the efforts of center founder Mario Mignone and SoMAS Distinguished Professor Robert (“Bob”) Cess, who was a leader in atmospheric sciences. For his outstanding contributions to the field, Cass was awarded the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, NASA’s highest scientific honor.
Cass also loved classic Italian automobile design, and particularly enjoyed restoring post-war Alfa Romeos, which is what prompted him to approach Mignone about the possibility for a car show. Seeing an opportunity to further connect the center with the local Italian and Italian American community through shared praise of one of Italy’s finest exports, Mignone and Cess organized the first Concorso d’Eleganza on May 21, 2006.
For more information and a map to the event, visit the Center for Italian Studies website.
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