The 36th Annual Lake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance, which in the past has been a two-day event, expanded last August and opened a day early for a new V.I.P. Preview Day.

The change in the schedule was such a success, event organizers have made it a permanent adjustment. This year’s 2008 Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance again opens with the V.I.P. Preview Day, to begin at noon on Thursday, Aug. 7, giving spectators the opportunity to preview the show’s spectacularly preserved vintage craft in an exclusive sneak preview.

The V.I.P. Preview Day is open to the public. At $100 a ticket, spectators will be allowed a half-day of leisurely strolling the docks and chatting with boat owners while sipping champagne and nibbling on appetizers.

The opening ceremonies, also a new addition to last year’s Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance, will feature a ribbon cutting to signify the official opening of the show, vintage aircraft flyovers, and gourmet food and beverages.

Perhaps the most well-received activity of the V.I.P. Preview Day is the opportunity for ticket holders to ride on some of Tahoe’s finest wooden boats. Classic boats will be on hand throughout the afternoon to give participants private rides on Lake Tahoe.

“The V.I.P. Preview Day was such a huge success last year, we knew we had to continue the event for years to come,” explains Kirk Pumphrey, Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance chairman. “It sort of takes us back a few years, to the early days of the event. It’s a smaller, more intimate gathering in a more casual atmosphere – very similar to how the event started 35 years ago.”

With the thought that two days to visit and view more than 110 boats at the Concours d’Elegance hasn’t been enough in past years for many spectators, Pumphrey explains that the new event was created to allow people an additional half day of viewing.

The opportunity to ride on some of Tahoe’s beautiful wooden boats was tremendously popular last year and is again expected to be a highlight this August. Actually boarding the boats and going for a ride on a perfect Tahoe summer afternoon adds a new interactive dimension to the event. One of the boats available for private rides includes a local favorite, Miss Tahoe, a 1939 28-foot Gar Wood that still has all her original wood and her original engine.

After the opening ceremony of the Lake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance, the event continues on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 8 and 9, and tickets for those days are just $25 if purchased in advance.

The event typically draws between 110 to 120 boat entries. The marque – or featured – class of the 2008 event is “Boats of the Twenties,” showcasing boats built between 1920 and 1929. This exciting era saw unprecedented growth in the boat building industry as Americans became more prosperous and leisure time became more plentiful. Event coordinators expect to see several large, triple-cockpit boat entries in this year’s marque class.

Advance ticket sales are now available through July 15 and may be purchased by contacting Tahoe Yacht Club Foundation at (530) 581-4700 or www.LakeTahoeConcours.com. For the V.I.P. Preview Day, ticket sales will be limited to the first 500. After July 15, ticket prices for Friday and Saturday, Aug. 8 and 9, will go up by $5 at the gate.