Jay Leno, Brenda Cooper headline Naples Automotive Experience

It’s official: Famous car enthusiast Jay Leno headlines next year’s Naples Automotive Experience, the multi-day event that includes the popular Cars on 5th.
The comedian and former host of The Tonight Show will perform stand-up comedy Thursday, Feb. 6, at Hertz Arena for Jay Leno Charity Comedy Night. Southwest Florida’s popular Ben Allen Band opens the show.
Leno will also attend an exclusive display of curated cars for a Friday, Feb. 7 event called The Ultimate Garage Tour with Jay Leno. Guests can mingle with him, learn about the cars’ history and enjoy live music, food and drinks.
In addition to Leno, Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist Brenda Cooper hosts a fashion event Friday, Feb. 7, called Forever Fabulous Women. The 1960s’ British-themed event includes Cooper sharing her fashion and styling secrets, a fashion show featuring clothing from the St. Matthew’s House Thrift Store fashion department, an English-style tea, a silent auction and a book signing with Cooper.
Naples Automotive Experience announced the news with a news release Wednesday morning.
“Our goal is to present the finest automotive experience in North America, and Naples is definitely the place for this to be achieved,” said Tom O’Riordan, president of the national Ferrari Club of America, in the release. “The bar has been raised even higher for this 21st Naples Automotive Experience.”
The 21st-annual event takes place Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 6-8. It’s organized by the Naples chapter of the Ferrari Club of America.
Tickets for the big-name events aren’t cheap, though. They’re $500 each for Forever Fabulous Women and The Ultimate Garage Tour. The Hertz Arena event is more affordable, though, with tickets ranging from $49-$250.
Confirming Jay Leno for Cars on 5th
The Leno announcement comes about four months after the Naples Automotive Experience first announced his attendance in a June 17 Facebook post. Despite the announcement, however, organizers were still working on finalizing Leno’s contract, O’Riordan said at the time.
“We’re having discussions with him,” he said. “There’s a good chance he’s coming, but there’s no contract with him yet.”
In June, O’Riordan said he’s been trying to expand the Naples Automotive Experience, including additional events besides the signature Cars on 5th.
Leno was always at the top of his list, he said. He’s a philanthropist and a well-known car lover, plus he often performs at Artis—Naples.
“He’s a car guy,” O’Riordan said. “He’s one of the foremost car collectors in the world. … In the entertainment business, he’s the No. 1 car guy. He has his own collection, his own TV show.”
Leno hosted NBC’s The Tonight Show from 1992 to 2014. The comedian is a devoted car enthusiast who also hosted the CNBC TV series “Jay Leno’s Garage” from 2015 to 2022.
More about the 2025 Naples Automotive Experience, Cars on 5th
Cars on 5th — also known as The Naples Automotive Experience Cars on 5th Concours — features hundreds of vintage, prototype and modern cars on display every year on Fifth Avenue South. The lineup includes Ferraris, Porches, Corvettes, McLarens, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins and Maseratis.
The bigger Naples Automotive Experience also features wine tastings, cigars, vendors and special events.
Cars on 5th is a huge draw to downtown Naples. As many as 20,000 people were anticipated at the February 2024 car show.
The Naples Automotive Experience raises money every year for St. Matthew’s House, an organization that fights hunger in Southwest Florida. The 2024 event raised nearly $1.7 million for the charity, the news release said.
“We are honored to continue working in partnership with St. Matthew’s House to support the life-changing services they provide to our neighbors in need,” O’Riordan said in the release. “We thank the City of Naples and the generous sponsors and attendees who support St. Matthew’s House by participating in Naples Automotive Experience.”
Naples Automotive Experience: Events and tickets
Here are all the events happening for the 2025 Naples Automotive Experience:
- Jay Leno Charity Comedy Night: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at Hertz Arena in Estero. $49-$200. VIP tickets for a 6 p.m. meet-and-greet and show seating in the first three rows are $1,000.
- Forever Fabulous Women: A Styling Experience: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at The Vineyards Country Club in Naples. $500 tickets include a copy of Brenda’s book, “The Silhouette Solution,” and book signing.
- The Ultimate Garage Tour with Jay Leno: Noon to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at Ultimate Garages in Naples. $500. The event includes a live auction and gourmet food.
- The Naples Automotive Experience Jetport Reception: 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at Naples Airport’s Northern Jet Hangar. The event includes auctions, food, fine wines, music and a showcase of some of the world’s most exotic cars, jets, planes and helicopters. $500.
- Cars on 5th: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, on Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples. More than 750 cars will be displayed, including 170 Ferraris, Ford GTs through the years and the Porsche 356. Tickets are $40 and will be sold on event day at the gate and at the Collier County Government Center ($10 for ages 4-15, free for younger). VIP tickets — including a tented “VIP Scuderia” area and an exclusive display of highest-value Ferraris and exotic cars — are $200-$250.
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Free shuttle service is available for all Cars on 5th attendees from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Parking and pickup will be at Collier County Government Center at U.S. 41 and Airport-Pulling Road.
Tickets are available now at naplesautomotiveexperience.org.
Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at[email protected].
Follow or message him on social media:Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), X (formerly Twitter) (@charlesrunnells), Threads (@crunnells1) and Instagram (@crunnells1).
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