2020 motoring events: the car shows cancelled by coronavirus

Whether you enjoy a good chinwag at a breakfast meeting or watching historic racing cars on a circuit, here are some of the best motoring events of 2020.

NEC Classic Motor Show

The 2020 motoring events calendar has been thrown up in the air due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. 

Organisers of events for retro car enthusiasts have either been announcing rescheduled dates or, as you’ll see below, cancelling events entirely for 2020. 

It makes depressing reading: while a handful of events have still gone ahead, the majority have been postponed for 2021. 

We are regularly updating the list, so be sure to bookmark this page. Get in touch if you’d like us to add a motoring event you’re organising, or revise the details listed.

  • LATEST UPDATE: The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run has been cancelled by the organisers – amazingly, it will be the first time it hasn’t run since 1947. 

CANCELLED FOR 2020

The following events have been cancelled for 2020

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run – CANCELLED

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

This year’s London to Brighton run was due to take place on 1 November, with veteran cars arriving at London’s Hyde Park before sunrise. From there, they would set off for the 60-mile journey to Brighton. Any car registered before 1 January 1905 is eligible to do the run. Sadly, it has now become the last major event to be cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis. 

Classic Motor Show – CANCELLED

Classic Motor Show

Organisers of the Classic Motor Show at the Birmingham NEC normally welcome more than 3,000 classics in an area the size of 18 football pitches. Regrettably, show director Lee Masters has now concluded “there is no alternative but to postpone the 2020 edition of the show”. A detailed FAQ has been set up to help the many show-goers. 

Goodwood Revival 2020 – CANCELLED

Goodwood Revival

Step back in time at the Goodwood Revival. Visitors are encouraged to dress in period clothing at this event celebrating the golden era of motorsport. Regrettably, the 2020 event is another victim of the coronavirus crisis, but it will be back for 2021, promises the Duke of Richmond. 

Goodwood Festival of Speed – CANCELLED

Goodwood Festival of Speed

In 1993, Lord March hosted a hillclimb in the grounds of Goodwood House in Sussex and created the Festival of Speed. It has grown to become one of the world’s biggest and most famous motoring events, but the hillclimb remains central to its appeal. This year’s Festival of Speed has been cancelled, but Goodwood insists it will be back next year.

Want to help preserve Goodwood during these unprecedented times? Check out the GSA here.  

CarFest North and SOUTH – CANCELLED

CarFest North

The organisers had originally planned to combine CarFest North and CarFest South to create one big event: CarFest United. It was to be held at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire across the weekend of 28 to 30 August 2020. The organisers said it will be “like the Cup Final“. But plans have since been shelved: CarFest North and South will return in their familiar form, but in 2021, not 2020. 

Beaulieu International Autojumble – CANCELLED

Beaulieu

If rummaging for oily car parts is your idea of a dirty weekend, the International Autojumble is the event for you. Some 2,000 stands are expected to fill the grounds of the Beaulieu Motor Museum, making it the biggest outdoor sale of motoring items this side of the Atlantic. Alas, for 2020, it is sadly cancelled. 

2020 Wales Rally GB – CANCELLED

Wales Rally GB

The 12th round of the FIA World Rally Championship was due to drop into Wales in October and November. Sadly, Wales Rally GB has now been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis. 

Classic & Performance Car Spectacular – CANCELLED

Classic and Performance Car Spectacular

Tatton Park, Cheshire, was to be the venue for the Classic & Performance Car Spectacular on 15 and 16 August. Around 2,000 cars will be on display, along with 250 stalls and 90+ clubs. However, it fell victim to the coronavirus crisis, along with Tatton Park’s Classic American show in July and ‘Passion for Power’ show in August.

Ford Fair – 25 October

Ford Fair

Ford Fair is Europe’s biggest Ford event, with around 4,000 cars and 18,000 guests expected to flood Silverstone. You can expect the usual mix of showroom-quality vehicles, sprint tests and track time, albeit now in 2021 after a revised date planned for October was finally cancelled. 

Donington Historic Festival – CANCELLED

Donington Historic Festival

Originally, the Donington Historic Festival was been postponed to an alternative date later in the year. Unfortunately, organisers have now decided to cancel the 2020 event. It will, however, return for 2021. 

Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show – CANCELLED

Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show

The Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show brings together 1,000+ cars, 150+ car clubs and 250+ exhibitors and autojumblers. Highlights include the UK’s biggest ‘barn-find’ display, the Practical Classics Live Stage and the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership competition. It had been hoped to postpone it until August, but now organisers have said the 2020 event is cancelled. It returns on 26-28 March 2021. 

Fully Charged Live – CANCELLED

Fully Charged Live Farnborough 2020

Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged Live, Britain’s biggest electric car show, has outgrown its base at Silverstone. For 2020, the EV event was moving to Farnborough International, with the organisers planning to show every electric vehicle available in the UK. Sadly, after announcing a revised autumn date, organisers have now cancelled the 2020 event. It returns in June 2021. 

MG Live – CANCELLED

MG Live

Organised by the MG Car Club, MG Live is the world’s biggest event for MG owners. This year’s event has been has been cancelled, with the organisers working with Silverstone to find suitable dates to revive the event in 2021.

Land Rover Legends – CANCELLED

Land Rover Legends

The third edition of Land Rover Legends has been cancelled. All tickets will be valid for a rescheduled event in 2021, and ticketholders are advised to remain patient. 

Ultimate Street Car – CANCELLED

Ultimate Street Car

Ultimate Street Car (USC) at Santa Pod Raceway is the ‘largest, loudest, hottest and fastest modified car festival in Europe’. Expect drifting, stunt displays, drag racing, music and tyre smoke. Lots and lots of tyre smoke. But in 2021, not 2020. 

Tewkesbury Classic Vehicle Festival – CANCELLED

Tewkesbury Classic Vehicle Festival

Sunday 23 August was to be be when 1,000 classic vehicles of all ages, plus motorcycles, automobilia and market stalls, gather at Tewkesbury School, just minutes from J9 of the M5 motorway. But no longer. The celebrated marque this year was Alvis, and there was also going to bebe a Hawker Hurricane flypast, as part of the VE Day 75th anniversary celebrations. What a pity.  

Goodwood 78th Members’ Meeting – CANCELLED

Originally scheduled for 28-29 March, organisers of the 78th Goodwood Members’ Meeting have announced the event is cancelled. It had been hoped to run it later in the year, but regrettably this has not been possible. 

Silverstone Classic – CANCELLED

Silverstone Classic

To some people, this is one of the highlights of the motoring calendar – a three-day, non-stop historic motoring racing extravaganza. However, the organisers have now announced “t is with a heavy heart that the organisers of the Silverstone Classic announce that this summer’s flagship three-day festival – originally scheduled for the weekend of 31 July to the 2 August – has sadly been cancelled”. 

June Scramble, Bicester Heritage – CANCELLED

April Scramble

The Bicester Heritage Sunday Scramble began as a ‘cars and coffee’ get-together but has grown to become one of the country’s biggest motoring events. You’ve missed the first Sunday Scramble of the year, and now the planned April event, originally rescheduled for 21 June, has been cancelled.

Japfest – CANCELLED

Japfest

Europe’s biggest Japanese car show has been cancelled, after originally being postponed. It will now return in 2021. 

Techno-Classica Essen – CANCELLED

Techno-Classica Essen

Techno-Classica Essen is a European classic car show with a global reputation, with around 1,250 exhibitors from 30 countries. In 2019, the event attracted 190,000 visitors from 46 different nations. Essen is a four- to five-hour drive from Calais, and has now become a summertime event.

Monaco Historic Grand Prix – CANCELLED

The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique (or Monaco Historic Grand Prix) takes place every other year. This year would have marked the 12th edition of the prestigious event, but it will return in 2022.

MotoFest Coventry – CANCELLED

MotoFest Coventry is ‘a unique blend of motorsport demonstrations, static displays, live music and anything else with a connection to Coventry and transport’. Brilliantly, Coventry’s ring road becomes a sprint circuit for the weekend, creating one of the best spectacles of the motoring calendar. Following its cancellation, MotoFest Coventry will now place take place on 4, 5 and 6 June 2021.

The Isle of Man TT– CANCELLED

The Isle of Man TT

The fastest road race on the planet was due to get underway on Saturday 6 June, with qualifying scheduled for Sunday 31 May. Sadly, the Island’s chief minister has now decladed the 2020 event to be cancelled: we won’t be seeing world’s bravest riders test their mettle on the formidable 37.73-mile course this year.

Bath Festival of Motoring – CANCELLED

ColinPeachey / Shutterstock.com

Last year’s Bath Festival of Motoring played host to 500 cars and around 6,000 visitors. This year’s event has been cancelled, with the next Bath Festival of Motoring taking place on the 19 and 20 June 2021.

Bromley Pageant – CANCELLED

The Bromley Pageant is one of the world’s largest one-day classic car shows, with more than 3,000 vehicles expected to be on display in Kent. The 2020 event has been cancelled, with the next Pageant taking place on 13 June 2021.

Yorkshire Motorsport Festival – CANCELLED

Julia Bradbury Yorkshire Motorsport Festival

The organisers of the Yorkshire Motorsport Festival say they hope to offer northern motorsport enthusiasts ‘something new and different’. Following the cancellation of the 2020 event, the Festival will now run on 25 to 27 June 2021. The event host was due to be former Top Gear presenter Julia Bradbury.

Auto Royale – CANCELLED

Auto Royale Althorp is “a true ‘festivalised’ event which will attract the very affluent and high net worth collectors along with ABC1 owners and enthusiasts of the automotive lifestyle”. Up to 150 cars from Britain and overseas were set to compete for a range of traditional class awards, special celebration awards and the coveted Best in Show. The event will now place in summer 2021.

Classics on the Common – CANCELLED

For one Wednesday every July, Harpenden is invaded by classic cars as it plays host to the UK’s largest weekday car show. Unfortunately, the event won’t take place in 2020, but it’s likely to return on 28 July 2021.

Festival of the Unexceptional – CANCELLED

Festival of the Unexceptional

This year’s Festival of the Unexceptional has been cancelled. Owners of unexceptional cars of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s are invited back in July 2021.

Events you’ve missed: save the date for next year 

Haynes Breakfast Club – 2 February

Haynes breakfast club

Car fans in the South and South West will be converging on the Haynes Motor Museum for the second Breakfast Club of the year. The museum, which is located just off the A303 in Somerset, is home to around 400 cars, while the cafe opens at 8.30am on Breakfast Club Sundays. These events are free to attend and held on the first Sunday of each month.

Retromobile – 5-9 February

Retromobile 2020

Retromobile is held in the largest and most prestigious hall at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre, Paris – a location befitting an event of this stature. This year, the show will celebrate Aston Martin, the Volkswagen Combi and the fabulous Automotoclub Storico Italiano Bertone collection.

Great Western Classic Car Show – 8-9 February

Great Western Classic Car Show

The Footman James Great Western Classic Car Show is the biggest event of its kind in the South West of England, with thousands of car enthusiasts converging on the Royal Bath & West Showground near Shepton Mallet.

Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show – 18-23 February

Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show

The Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show is the largest showcase of motorhomes, campervans, caravans, caravan holidays and lodges in the UK. The latest 2020 touring caravans and motorhomes will be on display, along with a Camping Zone and a display of electric ride-ons. Head to Birmingham’s NEC if caravans are your thing.

London Classic Car Show – 20-23 February

London Classic Car Show

The London Classic Car Show is moving to a new venue at Olympia London. The four-day event will celebrate 40 years of the Audi Quattro, with five examples of the legendary car on display in the capital. The show will also introduce a new Car Stories feature, which celebrates six of the world’s most iconic vehicles. On display this year will be the Porsche 962C, Lotus 49 and Maserati 250F.

Race Retro – 21-23 February

Race Retro

At the end of February, all motorsport roads will lead to Stoneleigh Park for the Race Retro international historic motorsport show. Highlights include a live rally stage, ‘arrive and drive a classic car’, Pride of the Paddock and a Silverstone Auctions sale.

Drive It Day – 26 April

Drive It Day

On Sunday 26 April, thousands of classic cars will take to the road for the annual Drive It Day. First introduced by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs in 2005, the date is as close as possible to the anniversary of the 1,000 Mile Trial – an event that saw vintage motor cars drive from London to Edinburgh and back.

British Grand Prix – 2 August AND 9 August

British Grand Prix

The 2020 British Grand Prix at Silverstone has been confirmed by Formula 1 bosses – and it’s an unprecedented double-header, with two races run over two weekends: 31 July-2 August and 7-9 August. 

HOWEVER, in line with strict coronavirus crisis measures, both races will be held behind closed doors – the event is on, but fans will NOT be allowed in. 

This is disappointing, as Silverstone has long been rated one of the world’s most popular F1 events to attend. It does still mean that we’ll be able to watch this event from afar though, rather than seeing it cancelled, to the relief of many eager motorsport fans. 

BTCC, Donington – 1-2 August

BTCC

Organisers have “taken the decision to provisionally plan events from August onwards, however, the calendar will of course remain conditional upon receiving appropriate government directives”. To this end, rounds one, two and three are pencilled in for 1 and 2 August at Donington Park.

Gaydon Land Rover Show – 1-2 August

Hundreds of Land Rovers will be on display at the Gaydon Land Rover Show in August. It was due to take place in May. Owners can enter their vehicle for just £8, giving entry to display the Land Rover, as well as admitting the driver and one passenger to enter the show for the weekend. The event is held at the British Motor Museum, which is five minutes from junction 12 of the M40.

London Concours – 19-20 August

London Concours

Billed as the ‘ultimate automotive summer garden party’ London Concours takes place at the Honourable Artillery Company, in the heart of the city. Around 130 high-end classics and supercars were on show last year, from the ‘Beast of Turin’ to the latest Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Tickets for the 2020 event, which has moved to August, are on sale now, priced from £40.

Concours of Elegance – 4-6 September

Concours of Elegance

The Concours of Elegance 2020 will take place at Hampton Court Palace in September, with 60 of the rarest cars ever built lining up in the Fountain Gardens. Many of the entrants will also take part in a two-day driving tour in the days running up to the main event.

Classic Car Drive In Weekend – 18-20 September

Bicester Heritage by Nick Chivers

Bicester Heritage has announced an end-of-summer special, the Classic Car Drive In Weekend. Running from Friday to Sunday, the organisers promise a fully socially-distanced event, with numbers on each day capped to ensure no crowding. Uniquely, it’s not just a classic car show, but a motoring-themed drive in cinema, with a line-up of films including The Italian Job and Rush. Tickets are priced from £18 for adults, £10 for children, and under-fives get in free. 

Le Mans 24 Hours – 19-20 September

Le Mans 24 Hours

The 88th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours will now take place on 19 and 20 September – behind closed doors, though (sorry, race fans). The exact schedule for the revised date is to be confirmed.

Beaulieu Simply rally calendar

Beaulieu Simply Audi

The Beaulieu Simply rally calendar has been confirmed for 2020. Held in the parkland surrounding the National Motor Museum, the first – Simply Jaguar – ran on 19 July, from 9.30am to 2pm. Pre-booking is essential and the outdoor events will each be limited to 500 guests. 

Simply Japanese ran on 26 July, Simply Audi was on 2 August, while Simply Ford is 13 September and Simply British Classics is 20 September. Tickets can be booked on Beaulieu’s events page

Salon Prive – 23-26 September

Salon Prive

Salon Prive is a motoring event for fans of superlatives. ‘The most luxurious of garden parties set against the backdrop of Britain’s greatest palace (Blenheim Palace). Presenting the finest collection of supercars, hypercars and classic cars, along with a luxury retail village and exquisite cuisine, it is a truly unique experience’. Tickets are priced accordingly…

Goodwood Speedweek – 16-18 October

Goodwood Speedweek

The 78th Goodwood Members’ Meeting, Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival were all cancelled for 2020. Instead, the famous venue is hosting a one-off spectacle called Goodwood Speedweek 2020. Although there will be three days full of live action, it’s an online-only event for spectators, due to Covid restrictions. Even so, Goodwood is promising world-class demonstrations and wheel-to-wheel racing. Check out Goodwood Speedweek when you can also sign up for updates.  

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Motoring Research team
Motoring Research team
News, reviews, advice and features from the award-winning Motoring Resarch editorial team.

7 COMMENTS

  1. Just wondered if anyone can explain to me how some events that are to go ahead in August and September have been given the go ahead by the government, when the largest steam fair in the world, The Great Dorset Steam Fair has had to cancel due to the large volumn of visitors it normally gets?

  2. […] we’re reflecting on another motoring event to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic. But fear not, because the Festival of the Unexceptional will be back in July 2021. Which means […]

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