As the East Bay’s premier Concours weekend of fundraising events, Danville d’Elegance enters its 7th year, looking to surpass the $1 million already raised to benefit Parkinsons research and patient care. Set in the historic town of Danville, California, the yearly event is one in which car collectors, automotive enthusiasts and the local community gather together to leverage “Cool Cars for a Cause.” In 2011, Danville bought an unparalleled variety of activities, creating a superb gathering of street and racing cars along with some other exciting vehicle surprises, and great food – all in the setting of a small town jewel.

On Sunday, September 18th, the town center of Danville transforms to the Danville Concours d’Elegance, with a large assembly of classic, vintage, and exotic pleasure and racing vehicles being displayed by their owners, a unique opportunity to see them up close, and chat with the people who own and maintain them. Admission is free for visitors, though donations are encouraged. When Phil Hill, America’s first Formula One World Champion, succumbed at age 81 to Parkinson’s disease in 2008, he was not only regarded as a legend in racing history, but he was known as a champion for a larger cause – helping to raise funds within the car world to benefit “The Parkinson’s Institute” (TPI) and specifically toward enhancing Parkinson’s research and patient care. Thanks to his initial personal involvement in the Danville d’Elegance Foundation, which creates an annual weekend of car-related fundraising events supporting both TPI and the Michael J. Fox Foundation, this year’s program will be celebrating Hill and the 50th anniversary of his momentous victory. The overall Danville d’Elegance weekend, has become an annual tradition in the historic town of Danville, Calif., and is run solely by its more than 200 volunteers who in six short years, have raised more than $1 million to benefit the Parkinson’s cause.

“Our relationship with Phil Hill was quite special,” said Jim Edlund, co-founder of the Danville d’Elegance Foundation. “We first met at the Parkinson’s Institute, and I shared our ideas for this type of event,” said Edlund. “From day one he, Alma and Derek were on board to help…Alma told me it was the one event he really wanted to go to each year and did, up to the year we lost our Friend – for us, it’s a real honor, just to celebrate his milestone and attach it to something in which he would have found meaningful.”

The inaugural “Tour d’Elegance” was held on the morning of September 17, 2011 and departed Lafayette, Calif., before winding its way along the backroads of Napa Valley — arriving at Diamond Creek Vineyards in Calistoga for a private lunch. This year’s Tour route has been specifically designed by nationally-renown rally promoter Nigel Evans of Rallyrace, and encompasses 165 miles.

Danville d’Elegance Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations in their pursuit to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease, while specifically raising funds to benefit the advancement of Parkinson’s research and patient care. Since 2004, and through the generous support of corporate and personal sponsors, the Foundation has raised in excess of $1 million for this debilitating cause. All of the annual weekend activities are planned, supported and completely run by the Danville d’Elegance Foundation, which is comprised of a small group of dedicated volunteers, a majority whose lives have been touched by Parkinson’s. These members work throughout the year and are supported on day of the event(s) with more than 200 volunteers. The Foundation’s funding efforts are aligned with both The Michael J. Fox Foundation and The Parkinson’s Institute.

For more information, please visit www.danville-delegance.org .

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