Saratoga Motorcar Auction offers $17 million in cars

The 10th annual Saratoga Motorcar Auction drew more than 300 cars to the Saratoga Casino Hotel on Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19, 2026, with about $17 million worth of inventory on the block, CBS6 reported. The auction raises money for the Saratoga Automobile Museum in Saratoga Spa State Park.

That inventory figure is more than double the previous year’s. The 2025 auction set a record with more than $7 million worth of cars, according to CBS6. Final sale totals for 2026 had not been published when we checked, and buyers had until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, to pay in full, according to the auction’s terms.

The auction at a glance

Here are the details, drawn from CBS6 and the auction’s published information.

• The auction ran Friday, September 18, from 2 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• It was held at the Saratoga Casino Hotel, 342 Jefferson Street in Saratoga Springs.
• More than 300 cars were consigned, according to CBS6.
• Registration to bid cost $25 at the gate, and online bidding was available.
• Vehicles were checked in on Wednesday and Thursday, September 16 and 17.
• A VIP concert with the band Soul Session kicked off the weekend on Thursday night, according to the museum.

Not just cars

The auction catalog reached well beyond vehicles. Early lots on Friday included antique Coca-Cola bottles and a Coca-Cola clock, a Coke machine, a Canada Dry machine, Coca-Cola and Pepsi coolers, a car door and a set of vintage signs featuring Road Runner, Super Bee and Kodak branding, according to the auction’s online inventory. Our read: the memorabilia gives smaller bidders a way into an auction dominated by five- and six-figure cars.

Why it matters to the museum

The Saratoga Automobile Museum is a nonprofit housed in the state park’s former bottling plant at 110 Avenue of the Pines, next to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The museum celebrated 20 years since its opening in 2022, CBS6 reported at the time. Its exhibitions rotate, and it runs programs throughout the year.

The auction has become one of the museum’s major fundraisers. The museum has run auctions in Saratoga since at least 2017, according to its list of past results, and it has also held sister auctions in Naples, Florida. The 2026 event was billed as the 10th annual Saratoga Motorcar Auction.

The auction calendar

The Saratoga sale is one of several auctions the museum runs each year. Its list of past auctions shows Saratoga sales each September, including September 22, 2023, September 20, 2024, and September 19, 2025, along with winter and spring sales. Recent dates on that list include February 3, 2023, February 2, 2024, November 16, 2024, and June 6, 2025. The museum’s results pages break sales down by year and by make, from Aston Martin and Bentley to Cadillac and Chevrolet, along with gas pumps, signs and other automobilia.

A growing event

The jump in inventory tells the story of the auction’s growth. The museum promoted the 2026 event as coming after a record-breaking 2025 and encouraged sellers to consign early to reach buyers around the world. The consignment count and inventory value both grew year over year, based on the figures reported by CBS6.

Some context on the numbers:

• Inventory value is the estimated worth of what was offered, not what sold. Final hammer prices can land above or below estimates, and some lots go unsold.
• The museum typically posts results after the auction closes. Past results for Saratoga and Naples auctions are listed on the auction’s website.

How the public takes part

The auction is open to spectators as well as bidders. Its website sells tickets, recruits volunteers and vendors, and lists nearby hotels for out-of-town guests. Sellers can use instant consignment days to enter cars ahead of an auction. For anyone thinking about 2027, the site’s consignment page is the place to watch once the next dates are set.

What it means for Saratoga Springs

A two-day auction with hundreds of cars and bidders from out of town adds visitors to the city in late September, after the racing season ends and before the fall foliage peak. Out-of-town bidders and consignors are likely to fill some hotel rooms and restaurant tables, and the event gives the Saratoga Casino Hotel a busy weekend outside race season.

The auction also keeps the automobile museum in front of collectors who might not otherwise visit the state park. The museum is a short drive from the casino.

Visiting the museum

For readers who missed the auction, the museum at 110 Avenue of the Pines is open to visitors. It sits inside Saratoga Spa State Park, where visitors can also walk the Avenue of the Pines, taste the mineral springs along Geyser Creek or tour the Hall of Springs. Check the museum’s current hours before you go, since they change by season. The state park charges a vehicle use fee during parts of the year, so check New York State Parks for current rates, and avoid SPAC concert nights if you want an easy drive in and out.

Other fall events at the park and downtown

The auction is one of several fall draws in Saratoga Springs. Upcoming events include the 11th annual Saratoga Giant PumpkinFest on Saturday, September 26, at the City Center garage, and the Downtown Business Association’s Fall Festival on Saturday, October 24.

What we are waiting on

These details were not public when we published. We will update this story when they are:

• Total sales for the 2026 auction and how they compare with 2025.
• The top-selling car and its price.
• How much the auction raised for the museum.

Attended the auction or bought a car? Share what you saw with our newsroom.