Cars are stars at city festival of motoring

MORE than 1,000 classic cars and motorcycles are coming to Coventry for a new show forming part of the annual Motofest.

The organisers of Coventry Motofest, the largest free urban motorsport festival in the UK, have teamed up with the Coventry Business Improvement District (BID), which represents city retailers.

The partnership sees the creation of a new event which will deliver the biggest classic vehicle offering ever staged at the festival.

The Coventry BID Classic – a ‘show within a show’ – plans to feature more than 1,000 cars and motorcycles.

Display space will be available each day for 500 bikes and scooters and 500 cars and classic car enthusiasts and car and bike clubs across the UK are now being encouraged to sign-up.

The new show is part of an expanded classic vehicle programme at Motofest 2017, which will also see a line-up of classic cars and bikes taking to the ring road-based Bennetts Sprint Circuit on Saturday June 3 and Sunday June 4.

The action on the circuit will take place alongside a hugely expanded classic vehicles display spanning different sites across the city.

To end each day’s programme, the Coventry BID Classic Cavalcade will see the display vehicles take to the Bennetts Sprint Circuit for parade laps of the circuit.

James Noble, Coventry Motofest’s festival director, said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership with the Coventry BID, which will enable us to deliver our biggest classic vehicle offering so far at Coventry Motofest.

“Coventry BID’s backing through the Coventry BID Classic element of the show, is a strong demonstration of the city retailers’ endorsement of Coventry Motofest and the festival’s enrichment of the local economy and cultural landscape.

“With the Coventry BID Classic, we are looking to create a show within a show, which will put classic cars and bikes at the forefront of the festival and in doing so provide visitors with an awe-inspiring celebration of our classic motoring heritage.”

Trish Willetts, Coventry BID manager, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be sponsoring Motofest this year and working with the team. The event is a huge success, bringing thousands of visitors and enthusiasts to the city centre each year.

“Motofest keeps getting better and going from strength to strength, so Coventry BID is proud to be supporting it.”

Cars, bikes and scooters which are more than 20 years old can display free of charge at this year’s Motofest and a guaranteed display place for individuals and clubs can be booked online at c o v e nt r y motof e s t . c o m/ g e tinvolved

Alternatively classic car and bike owners can turn up and display on the day, although places are subject to availability.