The big corporate events might get all the attention but for real enthusiasts it’s often the smaller shows that hold the most appeal. We asked our editors to pick some of their favourites
Words: Paul Wager
Car shows are big business in the UK, but for every big-ticket headline-grabbing festival there are many hundreds of smaller, lesser-known grassroots events full of exciting cars and dedicated enthusiasts. With this in mind, with the help of editors across the Prestige and Performance Car family, we’ve collected together a mix of some smaller events, gatherings and meet-ups alongside out favourite top events.
Read on to discover our personal favourites!
Gaydon Gatherings evenings
Second Tuesday evening of the month (from April) – April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, Aug 8, Sept 12
British Motor Museum, Warwickshire
If everyday life gets in the way of attending a full-day weekend event then a midweek evening is the perfect solution and the Midlands location of the British Motor Museum just off the M40 makes the Gaydon Gatherings easy to access.
These have always been one of our favourite events, with a great informal atmosphere and a truly varied selection of cars attending, from bone fide classic to modern performance cars. As a bonus, the organisers select a car from the museum collection for a driving demonstration and it’s often something unique which you won’t see anywhere else. More info at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on
Donington Historic Festival
Saturday, April 29 – Sunday, April 30
Donington Park, Derbyshire
Fans of historic motorsport are spoiled for choice these days, but where the events like Goodwood and Silverstone get all the publicity, the Donington festival is a less corporate undertaking geared more towards the enthusiast. First used some 15 years before Silverstone, the Leicestershire track also arguably has a more significant history than either of the others and its twisty nature makes for great racing action too. The variety of cars both on display in the infield and on track is tremendous, ranging from pre-war sports cars to early 80s saloon racers – and they’re driven hard too, with proper wheel-to-wheel action to watch.
Tickets are £25 with under-16s free and you’ll find more details at www.doningtonhistoric.com
How Many Left
Sunday, May 7
Grampian Transport Museum, Aberdeenshire
It’s all too easy to lose an afternoon’s work after what was supposed to be a quick visit to the ‘How many left’ website to check a fact for a feature – and the popular site illustrates perfectly how many of the most mundane cars which were street furniture not so long ago are now rarer than the most exotic supercars.
All of which means that the How Many Left event at this Aberdeenshire venue, limited to cars of which there are fewer than 500 left, offers the chance to see cars you just won’t clap eyes on anywhere else. And unlike million-pound exotics, these are the cars you can remember being driven in, owning and working on.
Entry is £10 by charitable donation (children are free) which also provides access to the Grampian Transport Museum. More details at www.gtm.org.uk
Prescott Italia
Saturday, May 13
Prescott Hillclimb, Gloustershire
You don’t have to be a petrolhead to enjoy an event at this charming Cotswolds venue with its laid-back atmosphere, easy trackside viewing and an open paddock where owners are only too happy to chat about their cars – whether that’s a priceless vintage Bugatti or something more modern.
As the name suggests, Prescott Italia is themed around Italian cars and you can expect to find everything from Fiat to Ferrari in the owners’ club displays and on the track. And if you want to do more than watch, then remember your driving licence and you can take your own Italian car for four runs up the hill. More details at www.prescotthillclimb.co.uk
Wallingford Vehicle Rally
Sunday, May 14
Wallingford, Oxfordshire
Sometimes you don’t have to travel far to find your ideal car show and as our MD Phil Weeden points out, it’s often the local shows where you find the biggest variety – which explains why he’s nominated the Wallingford Vehicle Rally. When it comes to variety, the organisers promise the event is open to everything “from bicycles to tanks,” with the participants convoying through the town before parking up on the town’s green. With support from a local Porsche specialist and the popular Sporting Bears charity giving rides, the event offers a great variety.
This is another event with a charitable focus, with over £25,000 donated last year. Find more details at www.wallingfordcarrally.org.uk
Scottish Italian Car Day
Sunday, May 28
Hopetoun House, Edinburgh
Neatly making the point that not everything has to be crowded into the South East, our Edinburgh resident Digital Content Editor suggested a second north-of-the-border event, this one organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club but certainly not limited to the Milanese marque: expect to find Lancia, Fiat, Abarth, Maserati, De Tomaso, Lamborghini and quite possibly a few others.
The venue itself provides another draw, with some beautiful scenery and coastal countryside walks on offer. Admission is £5 per person or £10 per car and you’ll find more details at www.aroc-uk.com
Footman James Coffee & Chrome Collective
Sunday 11th June, Impney Estate
Sunday 6th August, Impney Estate
Sunday 17th September, Prescott Speed Hill Climb
Sunday 15th October, Impney Estate
If informal breakfast gatherings are your thing then join up to the Footman James Coffee & Chrome Collective and you can enjoy their regular weekend breakfast meets. The meets see up to 1000 vehicles from all corners of the automotive universe on display. Two complimentary breakfast rolls per car are provided, with multiple coffee vendors and often sweet treat stalls also on-site.
Preregistration before each event is essential – meets often sell out in just a few hours, so sign up here to be informed as soon as registration opens and to keep up to date with news from Footman James.
Classic Nostalgia
Saturday, July 22 – Sunday, July 23
Shelsley Walsh Hillclimb, Worcestershire
Now in its 12th year, Classic Nostalgia is a festival of classic motorsport with an inclusive atmosphere you won’t find at the big circuits.
With a focus on motorsport and concentrating on pre-1971 cars, the event also caters for road and rally cars and as they say “just cool cars from all eras”, all in Shelsley Walsh’s renowned garden party setting. Like Prescott, the open pits mean you can get a proper look at the machinery on show and chat to the enthusiastic owners, while there’s great trackside viewing to be had… with the bar open half-way up to ease the climb.
Advance entry is £20 per person with under-16s free and you’ll find more details at www.classicnostalgia.co.uk
Retro Rides Gathering
Sunday, August 13
Mallory Park, Leicestershire
If you like variety in your car-based day out then look no further than the annual Retro Rides bash. The Retro Rides online community has been going since the mid-2000s and the Gathering rivals the How Many Left event for the delightfully obscure metal it encourages out of the shadows.
Unlike many of the classic events, the Retro Rides crowd aren’t shy of modifying, which means the event is a showcase of creativity too. Now held at the Mallory Park circuit in Leicestershire, the event offers a sprint course on part of the famous track as well as static displays and the usual trade stands. With a dedicated ‘retro’ parking area, it’s also one of those shows where you can spend as long checking out the car park as the event itself.
Day tickets are £17.50 per adult and £5 for under-16s and you’ll find more details at www.retroridesgathering.com
Stance Fever
Sunday, August 20
Newbury, Berkshire
Not one for the purists this – but if you prefer your cars modified, Stance Fever is a long way from the likes of Classic Nostalgia. It’s no surprise that this one was suggested by the editor of our Total BMW magazine, since Stance Fever attracts a big contingent of German marques, with BMW and VW/Audi particularly prominent. It’s also held in the Newbury Showground’s indoor hall, which is a definite plus when it comes to the erratic British summer weather.
Tickets are £22.15 per adult with under-13s free and you’ll find more details at www.stancefever.com.
American Day
Sunday, September 3
Brooklands, Surrey
There’s something for everyone at Brooklands, from the eerie memories of the surviving sections of the banked circuit to the preserved aeroplanes and sitting somewhere in between, the eclectic collection of sporting cars and motorbikes.
If your thing is fins big enough to rival the on-site Concorde with chrome to match, then the annual American Day is worth a visit. Alongside US-made cars from all eras, the Paddock is filled with American-themed entertainment, food and memorabilia. Entry cost is the regular museum entry fee: £24.20 per adult and £13.20 for children, with more details at www.brooklandsmuseum.com
Jaguar Breakfast Club monthly meets
First Saturday of the month
British Motor Museum, Warwickshire
Yes, it’s one for the Jaguar owners but really, you don’t need to own a ’61 E-Type or mint Mk2 to appreciate these informal Saturday morning meetings. Cars range from the ’60s right up to the present day and there’s usually a strong showing of XKs and F-Types ranging from standard to modified, while naturally the ever-enthusiastic XJ-S crowd is often out in force.
Entry gets you access to the museum and its Collections Centre, worth a visit in itself and packed with all the why-didn’t-they prototypes from the BL era plus the priceless Jaguar Heritage collection. More details at www.jaguarbreakfastclub.org.uk
Historic Vehicle Gathering
Saturday, July 8 – Sunday, July 9
Powderham Castle, Kenton, Somerset
Organised by the delightfully named Crash Box & Classic Car Club, the Historic Vehicle Gathering is a very traditional classic car show, including not just old cars but bikes, commercials, stationary engines, tractors and even steam. All of which means there’s something for everyone and the show is large enough to mean that everyone will stumble across something unexpected to surprise and delight.
Oh and the event benefits local charities as well, to the tune of £25,000 last year.
