Since watching the September sun slip beyond the tranquil waters of Peconic Bay at the conclusion of the ninth annual event, enthusiasts and automotive purists have been eagerly looking forward to this milestone year: the tenth edition of The Bridge. It is a rare occurrence to feel an immediate, compelling desire to return to the next installment of an ongoing automotive gathering just as the current one is winding down. Yet, those who have attended know that The Bridge occupies a uniquely cherished space within the robust, often frantic ecosystem of modern car shows. There are no judges evaluating paint depths with a critical eye, no clipboards tracking minute historical inaccuracies, no exhausted teams of car-care specialists working frantically under tents, no formal press conferences announcing the next era of mobility, and, most importantly, no losers. Everyone who participates in The Bridge is fundamentally a winner, because within the philosophy of this gathering, the invitation itself serves as the ultimate award.
Taking stock of the broader car-show circuit today, it is remarkably easy to identify the persistent need for an antidote to the high-stress, hyper-competitive environments that so often dominate the hobby. The contemporary car collector is frequently encouraged to bring the vehicle that they believe will secure a prestigious trophy, appease a panel of strict judges, or maximize a potential auction return. That The Bridge was successfully conceived and launched back in 2016 demonstrates just how far ahead of the curve its visionary founders truly were. While other event organizers were entirely content to replicate formulas that had worked predictably well in various locations for decades, Robert Rubin, Shamin Abas, and Jeffrey Einhorn boldly set out to chart a completely different course. They envisioned a gathering that would prioritize genuine passion, relaxed camaraderie, and an eclectic appreciation of automotive history over the rigid formalities of traditional concours events.
A golf course filled to capacity with rare collector cars vying for public attention and competitive accolades is certainly not a novel concept in the world of luxury events. However, The Bridge stands apart as the only show of its kind where the verdant golf course was thoughtfully built directly upon the sacred site of a former professional race circuit. That rich historical lineage sets an unmistakably evocative tone from the very moment attendees arrive on the property. Driving into the venue along the final remaining, preserved stretch of the historic race circuit and passing beneath the iconic Chevron Gasolines-branded pedestrian bridge provides every guest with an immediate, grounded sense of place. It instantly fires up the imagination, invoking ghosts of motorsport past, long before anyone has even begun to wander the manicured fairways on foot. What the founders and their dedicated partners have successfully created over the past decade is an atmosphere that is noticeably relaxed, breathing easy, and standing about as far removed from the sensory overload and logistical scrum of Monterey Car Week as any automotive event possibly could.
Even with Mercedes-Benz generously presenting the milestone tenth-anniversary show during the marque’s own significant 140th anniversary, attendees never once got the distinct impression that anybody was aggressively selling anything other than a genuinely good time. Nobody on the grounds is ever in a hurried rush, the hundreds of remarkable cars on display are given generous amounts of breathing room to be appreciated from every angle, and the only truly large crowds that naturally form throughout the afternoon are gathered tightly around the beloved, highly sought-after food vendors originating straight from New York City. It captures the exact ambient vibe that a crisp September afternoon on a breathtaking coastal golf course ought to possess, layered with the magnificent, unexpected bonus of more than 300 exceptional collector cars—alongside one beautifully restored city bus—resting casually upon the rolling fairways.
Eclectic taste has steadfastly remained a core, foundational pillar of The Bridge since its very inception a decade ago. Historic competition cars that would have fiercely raced against one another at the original Bridgehampton Race Circuit during its golden heyday now sit comfortably alongside contemporary automotive favorites and quirky future classics. Where else in the world of motoring would a visitor stumble upon an immaculate row of 15 Ferrari Testarossas displayed in one distinct section, only to find a utilitarian Land Rover Series III flatbed pickup parked nearby in another? How about discovering an immaculate, perfectly preserved Fiat Panda 4×4 resting nonchalantly in a sand trap directly across the fairway from a 997-generation Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 that received the comprehensive Sonderwunsch treatment back in 2011? Rather than chasing elusive rarity as the single defining factor for inclusion, The Bridge consistently leads with the outright unexpected, rewarding curiosity at every turn.
Parking a vintage 1973 GMC New Look transit bus squarely in the beating heart of the show and surrounding it with a carefully curated array of vibrant yellow cars that would easily make the world’s most exciting taxicabs look ordinary is a pitch-perfect embodiment of that playful mindset. The event also featured a nostalgic pop-up drive-in movie screen continuously showcasing iconic cinematic car chases, enhancing the immersive cultural experience. Of course, this unconventional curatorial approach does not mean that staggering rarity is entirely absent from the grounds. Encountering multiple ultra-exclusive Ferrari Monza SP1s, SP2s, and the breathtaking Daytona SP3s as one walked a little further down the fairway made it abundantly clear that the highest echelons of hypercar royalty are always well represented.
While The Bridge remains strictly an invitation-only affair reserved for select collectors and enthusiasts, the vibrant Cars & Coffee gathering that traditionally takes place on the very next day on the historic grounds of the Bridgehampton Museum is entirely free and warmly open to the general public. Many of the exact same extraordinary vehicles from the private show make their scenic way into downtown Bridgehampton for the community morning, joined by an impressive influx of additional local and regional collector cars that expand the field even further. The Bridgehampton Museum itself features a wonderful, deeply informative permanent exhibit dedicated entirely to the glorious golden era of the original local race circuit, while a talented live jazz quartet provides the smooth, sophisticated sonic soundtrack that perfectly closes out an unforgettable weekend of automotive celebration.
