Revving up for the classic car events season – our 2023 calendar
With a busy automotive season ahead, now the salt’s off the road and the clocks have changed, it’s time to remember sunnier climes and being able to use our classics and collector cars. So, close down your Netflix account, take a break from watching the latest Lamborghini movie and be inspired by our rundown of some of the best in-person events that are taking place across the UK this year. From autojumbles to crème de la crème Concours gatherings, here are a few events we recommend marking in your diaries.
Revving up for the Concours season, Salon Privé’s confirmed to be returning to London’s 66-acre Royal Chelsea Hospital site. Lining the venue will be an array of recently-launched supercars, purebred classics and the famed ‘Concours de Vente’, which is a Concours d’Elegance where every single car showcased is for sale. A different option to the usual Concours’, the Concours de Vente will have around 75 classics on display, ranging from Fifties Ferraris to almost 100-year-old Rolls-Royces. Mark your diaries for 20-22 April and we hope to see you there.
Following shortly after, on Sunday April 23, the sold-out Bicester Heritage Sunday Scramble returns. A firm favourite for us, it provides unrivalled access to the industry-leading specialists within the world-leading Bicester Heritage site, who will open their doors to give visitors behind the scenes access to workshops and showrooms. Alongside this, there will be a plethora of enthusiast-owned cars lining the event, and as ever, always remember to check the car park! Located in Oxford, the Sunday Scramble runs from 9 am to 2 pm and after that you could head to the new Re-Fuel site from Kingsley Re-Engineered in nearby Eynsham. Rumour has it they do great burgers.
While April is a busy event month, for those who are living further north, Donington Historic Festival promises to be an event a petrolhead won’t want to pass up. Taking place within the historic Donington Park in Derby on 29 and 30 April the ‘Historic’ promises a wide range of races including pre-war cars, pre-56 sports cars and a nod to the late and great Tony Dron who passed away last year with the Historic Touring Car Challenge with Tony Dron Trophy. Promising a great access to the paddocks, which always allows for visitors to peek under the bonnet of some classic cars and speak to competitors, there’s also always a great car club display.
Staying in the same vague location, within the Midlands, on 27 May the British Motoring Museum will be hosting an event that celebrates the 100th anniversary of the iconic marque, MG. A brand that has been reignited through electrification in recent years, visitors will be able to learn about the entire history of MG. Promising visitors an education of the rich history of this legendary brand, it’s open to MG fans and those who want to learn more. Although, the event’s website says MG owners are encouraged and welcome to display their pride and joy for as little as £10 per person.
An event that we can’t wait until the tickets go-live for, and one that always promises some of the most collectable, rare and enviable access to these impressive cars is Heveningham Concours. Located in Suffolk, this year’s Heveningham Concours takes place over two days (8 and 9 July) and it’s themed around 100-year anniversary of Le Mans. Expect to see around 50 cars will be displayed at the rear of the impressive Heveningham Hall on its sculpted garden terraces together with a dozen or so historical aircraft that you might see flying overhead. As well as the cars, the Heveningham County Fair also takes place over the weekend and from previous experience it promises to be a great time out for the whole family.
While Goodwood Festival of Speed is the week later, we reckon if you’re into classic cars and want unrivalled access to them without the crowds, you’re better off booking Heveningham Concours and saving your Goodwood ticket tokens for the famed Goodwood Revival, which is also below.
Remaining in the south of the UK, we’re huge fans of the Beaulieu Autojumble. Taking place in Hampshire on 2 and 3 September it promises will bring you the biggest outdoor sale of motoring items this side of the Atlantic. Here, you’ll find spares, automobilia, and many classic cars for sale, and on 3 September amateur autojumblers will be able to sell their own items in the Beaulieu ‘Trunk Traders’ event, which could be very lucrative, if you have the right items that is!
We’re planning on a dedicated Concours-only listicle, but if you’re looking to spend some time at a Concours in the UK this year, we always advise on booking tickets to visit Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace. This year it’ll take place from Friday 1 September to Sunday 3 September, bringing around 60 of some of the rarest cars in one place, each judged in a range of categories and crowned on the stage, including the ‘Best of Show’.
If you didn’t get tickets to this year’s F1 and want your taste of Silverstone, this year’s Silverstone Festival promises to be an unforgettable event, taking place on 25-27 August.
Formerly known as Silverstone Classic, and marking 75 years since the opening of the Silverstone Circuit, racing cars from all eras will be driven, honouring the legacy of this historic track. It will also bring many classic car enthusiasts as the event will also be celebrating 110 years of Aston Martin, which will see iconic cars such as the DB4, DB5, DB9 all on track.
As we alluded to above, one of the most iconic events of the automotive calendar is Goodwood Revival. Taking place from 8-10 September, it celebrates a bygone era of motoring which many believe to be the golden age. Most visitors embrace the event’s historic importance by dressing up in clothing from the 40s, 50s, and 60s, and there’s a competition for the best dressed visitor, too. Of course, it’s mainly about cars and car culture and it’s been confirmed that this year’s Revival also sees the celebration of the life of motorsport icon, Carol Shelby by displaying and running the AC Cobra and the Ford GT40, two cars synonymous with Shelby’s legacy.
While the dates are in November (10-12 November), the indoor Classic Motor Show at the NEC Birmingham is a perfect event to round off 2023 with amazing classics on display as well as an autojumble to rummage through parts needed for the winter tinkering. It’s all about the cars and the people, with talks from motoring celebrities and experts on the main stages and key suppliers within the industry taking displays as well as car clubs. We never miss a show and although we’re not looking to wish away the year, it’s always a cracker.
Here at Marc Brunel Recruitment, we love to attend events like these as it allows us to network with other like-minded petrolheads. Whether you like pre-war veterans or 60s American muscle cars, or peeking at collectable and priceless Concours stars, we hope this list proves there’s a classic car event out there for everyone.
While this focuses on the UK, we’re excited to work with people in the UAE where the quickly developing Dubai Motor Show is gaining popularity and in the USA, which hosts the famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
If you’d like to explore further career opportunities in the automotive industry, or are looking to change positions, get in touch with us at info@marcbrunel.com today, or click on our Candidates section for all our open vacancies.
– Akash Cheeda
