The Colorado Grand charity tour will be making its 37th annual five-day, 1,000-mile trip through the Rockies Sept. 14-19, and will be stopping at Gunnison’s Pioneer Museum for lunch.
The Colorado Grand is an annual charity event founded in 1989 by Englewood automotive enthusiast Bob Sutherland. The tour was created to combine Colorado’s inspiring beauty with the spirit of vintage sports cars while giving back to those in need. Participants from all over the world come for the drive.
The tour is non-competitive and invite-only, featuring approximately 85 to 100 vintage racing and sports cars such as Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Porsche, and Aston Martin. All of the cars participating in the tour are required to be built in 1960 or earlier, with later built cars requiring that the production of the model began before 1960. Tour cars receive special numbered license plates and arrow decals to identify the cars.
Each year, the tour raises hundreds of thousands of dollars, which it donates to various charities, organizations, and individuals across Colorado. Last year was a record-breaking year for the charity, as they raised just over $1 million, bringing total donations since their first tour in 1989 to $11 million.
The Colorado Grand raises funds for small-town Colorado charities, rural medical clinics, arts organizations, and 4-H clubs, and has donated a good chunk of money to support Colorado State Patrol officers and their families, with a focus on towns that host them during their tours. All funds come from entrants and sponsors, including WeatherTech, Hagerty, Blue Chip, Sotheby’s, and more.
They also award a $15,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior in Vail and each of the towns that host their lunch stops. 7 students were awarded Colorado Grand scholarships in 2026, recognized for their exceptional work ethic and scholarly aptitude.
The tour takes place every September, during the peak color changing season, starting and ending in Vail, Colorado. This year, the tour will stop at the Gunnison Pioneer Museum on Sept. 16, where the museum will host its lunch from 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. The Colorado Grand often works with local communities to host lunches or car shows as it passes through town, providing a unique experience. Lunch will be provided for all of the drivers by 5B’s BBQ, though the lunch is not open to the public.
“The best thing is that they’ve chosen to come visit us,” said Kathy Lucas, president of the board. “We appreciate all the help that we get from the community to put all of this together too.”
The Colorado Grand has donated $55,000 to the Pioneer museum over the years. The museum has used the money to fund various projects, the latest being the construction of an accessibility ramp to the museum’s Paragon school house: a one-room school house built in 1889 and moved to the Pioneer Museum in 1970, serving as one of the museum’s greatest attractions.
The museum is expected to host about 100 cars and 310 drivers, mechanics, and state patrol officers. Preparing for the caravan is a community effort, and volunteers will spend the day before hauling in borrowed tables and chairs to set up for the lunch.
“We’ll probably have five or six volunteers setting up and tearing down,” said Lucas. “And then five or six more community members might show up to help as well. It’s a community effort, and they’re volunteering their time, which is wonderful.”
Even though the lunch is not public, the cars will be parked on the museum grounds during the lunch period, where anyone is welcome and encouraged to come and view the cars, talk to the drivers, and wander the museum exhibits free of charge.
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