8 of the best upcoming car events and festivals

Eight upcoming UK car events in 2025 you don’t want to miss

If you’re a car enthusiast looking to make the most of your summer weekends (or you just want to keep the whole family entertained for a day or two without hopping on a plane), these eight upcoming car shows and events are absolute must-sees.

Whether you want to experience the thrill of historic racing with a vintage twist, fancy a spot of glamourous car-spotting at a palace (no anorak required), or have more unexceptional tastes in cars, there’s something for every motoring fan.

And the best bit?

You can admire all these incredible machines before heading home in your own lease car – the perfect way to stay inspired.

Get your diaries out and your tickets booked for the best car events the UK has to offer in 2025.

Goodwood Festival of Speed

When: 10th-13th July
Where: Goodwood House, West Sussex
How much: From £75 per person

Founded in 1993 by Lord March to bring motor racing back to the historic Goodwood estate, the Festival of Speed has become the ultimate celebration of motorsport past, present and future.

The centrepiece hillclimb sees everything from historic F1 cars to the latest hypercars tackling the famous course, while the Supercar Paddock showcases the most drool-worthy road-going supercars money can buy.

The Future Lab is where you’ll spot prototype flying cars and autonomous vehicles that look like they’ve driven straight out of a sci-fi film.

Don’t miss the First Glance Paddock, where manufacturers often choose to reveal their latest models to the world for the very first time. Plus, there’s the RAF display team and Red Arrows putting on an aerial show that’ll have you looking skyward.

Fancy getting behind the wheel of something special yourself? Our electric car lease deals offer cutting-edge tech without the supercar price tag.

Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional

When: 27th July
Where: Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire
How much: From £25 per person

Tired of supercars and hypercars? 

Fed up with million-pound rarities that most of us could never afford? 

Bored of seeing incredibly fast cars go incredibly fast in circles?

The Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional is here to celebrate the cars that actually matter – the ones we all remember from our childhoods.

This brilliant event turns the traditional concours on its head by celebrating the ‘ordinary’ cars from 1966-1996 that were everywhere when they were new, but are now surprisingly rare. Think your dad’s company car, your driving instructor’s trusty hatchback, or that neighbour’s motor you secretly admired.

The Concours de l’Ordinaire features around 50 carefully selected vehicles competing for the title of most ordinary, while the general car park becomes a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

It’s refreshingly honest motoring, celebrating the cars that kept Britain moving rather than the ones that gathered dust in garages. Perfect inspiration for choosing your next personal car lease deal – because sometimes the best car is simply the one that gets you there with a smile.

British Motor Show

When: 15th-17th August
Where: Farnborough International Exhibition Centre
How much: From £26.57 per person for one day, or from £53.14 per person for three days

Billed as ‘The Greatest Show on Wheels’, the British Motor Show has established itself as the go-to event for motoring enthusiasts since launching in 2020.

With non-stop live action including stunt shows, Strictly Cars Dancing, and the World Truck Pulling Championship in the Cazoo Live Arena, there’s never a dull moment. The Lego Group Live Stage offers celebrity guests and panel sessions, while the family zone keeps the little ones entertained with transformers and RC car experiences.

Over 40 car clubs bring more than 1,500 display vehicles, and you’ll have the chance to take test drives and even try under-17 driving experiences.

The Supercar Paddock organises themed days – Ferrari Friday, Best of British Saturday, and Stuttgart Sunday – so you can plan your visit around your favourite marques.

Speaking of favourite marques, if you’re inspired by what you see, our Audi lease deals and Ford lease deals might just hit the spot.

CarFest

When: 22nd-24th August
Where: Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire
How much: From £234 for an adult camping ticket

CarFest is where music meets motoring in the best way possible.

Founded by radio presenter Chris Evans in 2012, this family festival raises funds for Children in Need and other charities, while delivering an unforgettable weekend of entertainment.

With Rita Ora, Madness, Busted, and Sam Ryder headlining the music, plus comedy from Lee Mack and Rob Brydon, there’s entertainment for all ages. But it’s the Michelin-Protyre Autocare Track that’ll get your pulse racing – three daily shows featuring everything from pre-war Bugattis to the latest McLaren GTs and silent electric supercars that showcase what EV tech can do.

The paddock gives you up-close access to these incredible machines, from lovingly preserved Ford Model Ts to the latest Aston Martins.

From roaring vintage engines to whisper-quiet electric powerhouses, CarFest showcases every type of motor imaginable – making it the perfect place to gather inspiration for your next electric lease or hybrid lease deal.

Silverstone Festival

When: 22nd-24th August
Where: Silverstone Circuit
How much: From £70 for a day ticket or £160 for a three-day ticket

Running alongside CarFest weekend, the Silverstone Festival has been the spiritual home of historic motorsport since 1990.

It’s one of the few events where you can watch priceless historic F1 cars battle it out on the same track where modern Grand Prix legends are made.

With 20 races across the weekend featuring historic Formula 1 cars, touring cars, GT cars and sports cars, there’s non-stop track action. The open paddock lets you chat with drivers and race preparers, allowing you to get up close to the cars before they head out on the track

Between races, explore the displays from over 100 car clubs showcasing thousands of classic cars, enjoy live music from Natasha Bedingfield and Craig David, or take a Dream Ride with the Sporting Bears charity in everything from a classic Jaguar E-Type to a McLaren 720.

Inspired by all this historic racing action? Why not bring some excitement to your daily drive with our SUV lease deals, because every journey should feel like an adventure.

Salon Prive

When: 27th-30th August
Where: Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
How much: From £55 per person

Think Royal Ascot, but with cars instead of horses.

Salon Prive at Winston Churchill’s birthplace is the epitome of automotive elegance, where you’ll need your finest garden party attire to mingle among some of the world’s rarest and most valuable cars.

With nearly two decades of excellence behind it, this is the UK’s only professionally judged concours, attracting unique classics – some of which have never been seen before in Britain.

The Friday garden party has become an influential highlight of the summer social season, while the weekend sees debuts of the latest luxury cars and hypercars.

From Edwardian treasures to futuristic concept cars, Salon Prive showcases automotive artistry at its finest. And with exquisite hospitality, fine wines, and boutique luxury shopping, it’s a properly sophisticated day out.

For your own taste of luxury motoring, explore our best car lease deals – all the elegance, none of the seven-figure price tag.

Concours of Elegance

When: 5th-7th September
Where: Hampton Court Palace
How much: From £65 per person

Set in the stunning gardens of Hampton Court Palace, the Concours of Elegance brings together 60 of the world’s rarest cars – many making their UK debut.

What makes this event special is that there are no judges; instead, the car owners themselves vote for the ‘Best of Show’.

The Levitt Concours on Saturday celebrates female motoring pioneers, with 20 rare vehicles owned by women on display. It’s named after, and pays tribute to, Dorothy Levitt, who is recognised as England’s first female racing driver, setting land and water speed records back in 1905.

The Junior Concours adds family appeal with half and three-quarter scale cars, while The Club Trophy sees prestigious UK car clubs presenting their finest examples to independent judges.

Many of the Concours cars also take part in a driving tour in the days before the main event.

If you’re in need of your own set of wheels to get you there, check out our in stock lease deals, and get behind the wheel of your own slice of automotive excellence.

Goodwood Revival

When: 12th-14th September
Where: Goodwood Motor Circuit, West Sussex
How much: From £84 per person

The Revival is motorsport theatre at its finest – the only historic race meeting staged entirely in period dress.

Step back to the glamour of the 1940s, ‘50s and ’60s as the Goodwood Motor Circuit comes alive with the sights, sounds and style of motorsport’s golden age.

Eight races on Sunday make it the most action-packed day, with overall winners crowned in the St Mary’s Trophy for 1960s saloon cars and the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy for motorcycles. Between races, explore the vintage fun fair, catch a film at the drive-in Revival Cinema, or admire the magnificent aircraft display.

The Revival attracts the finest historic racing talent to the show, including champions like Jenson Button. And don’t miss the Settrington Cup – the children’s pedal car race that’s become a beloved tradition.

After experiencing all this motoring heritage, you might fancy something more modern for your daily drive. Check out our hybrid car lease deals for the perfect blend of efficiency and performance.

Get moving with your next lease

Whether you’re inspired by the cutting-edge technology at Goodwood’s Future Lab, the classic elegance of Salon Prive, or the high-octane action at Silverstone, there’s never been a better time to get behind the wheel of something special.

Our personal car leasing deals put you in the driving seat of your dream car without the hefty price tag.

From electric car lease deals that’ll have you driving silently into the future, to SUV lease deals that turn every journey into an adventure, to saloon lease deals that deliver comfort and style in equal measure, there’s something for everyone.

After all, life’s too short for boring cars.