We have had a very busy and exciting year despite Covid and the cancellation of our main festival weekend.

Our first virtual event – Coventry Concours

As our main motoring festival was cancelled, the team came up with an innovative idea to host a virtual concourse with the Association of Heritage Engineers.

Throughout the competition we hosted dedicated rounds, dependent upon the age of participating vehicles. We saw a great variety of vehicles on show, from Triumphs to Jaguars and Volkswagens.

The winners were awarded a Golden ticket to the inaugural Coventry Concours at MotoFest Coventry 2021 and two tickets to The Bugatti Trust when it reopened!

The launch of Club MotoFest

On what would have been MotoFest 2020 weekend we launched our brand new members’ club – Club MotoFest. – to allow you the supporters and fans of MotoFest to get even closer to the action!

We saw a huge uptake in Club MotoFest and were able to provide a range of benefits to our members including company discounts, exclusive and early priority access to events and MotoFest News.

Our first exclusive Club MotoFest event!

Following our successful Coventry Concours competition we put together a fantastic panel comprised of MotoFest Directors and Concours judges. They discussed heritage and innovation, along with the key role that our hobby and industry will play in the recovery from the current crisis that we find ourselves in.

Once again, a huge thanks to Allan Winn, Angela Hucke, Reverend Adam Gompertz, Dominic Taylor-Lane and our Directors – Andrew Simpkins, Darren Langevald and James Noble for such an interesting discussion!

Shakespeare Run – Revival

The streets of Coventry rose once more with an exciting Covid secure automotive event, the Shakespeare Run – Revival.

As Saturday 26^th September rolled around, classic, vintage and veteran vehicles and motorcycles from across the region took to the streets of Coventry. The Run began on the Coventry Ring Road for a mobile start before leaving on a pre-planned, beautifully scenic route through the South Warwickshire countryside.

Fortunately, despite the array of 66 classic vehicles and motorcycles, no recovery assistance was required.

MotoFest Drive In Christmas Carols

As we headed into December, MotoFest Coventry and Jubilee Church Coventry put on two sell-out Christmas Carol Drive In concerts for music fans. The event ran over two nights with over 100 vehicles attending Millennium Place in the city centre to see musician Rob Halligan and his band play some festive favourites.

The event received so much positive feedback the MotoFest Coventry team are even considering hosting a Drive In Carol Concert on an annual basis!

Looking forward to 2021

As we look forward to 2021, the team at MotoFest Coventry are planning for a Covid Secure main festival in June 2021, as the start of Coventry’s year as City of Culture. We will be running a series of exclusive and early access Club MotoFest events so don’t miss out by following up on social media using the handle @CovMotoFest and catch our first Club MotoFest News of 2021 on 27th January.

Until then, heres to a Happy and Healthy New Year!

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MotoFest Coventry and Jubilee Church Coventry put on a sell-out Christmas carols drive-in concert for music fans on Saturday and Sunday night. Over 100 vehicles attended the events at Millennium Place in the city centre to see musician Rob Halligan and his band play some festive favourites.

The event included a mixture of Rob Halligan originals, traditional festive hymns such as Come All Ye Faithful and pop songs such as Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody.

Rob told Coventry Live: “It was so good to be part of a live music event after the year that we’ve had. It’s been nine months since we went into the first lockdown and so this was a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”

“I was wondering what it would be like, performing to an audience stuck in their cars, but the response, lights and horns was incredible, and you could see people were having a great time.”

“I’m massively grateful to MotoFest for sticking their neck out to put this on. So many people put a lot into this to make it happen – it means a lot to people to be doing this kind of thing.”

James Noble MotoFest Founder and Festival Director said “We had to do something after the year we have all had. Tier 3 allows drive in events and so bringing a bit of Christmas joy to people was too good an opportunity to miss. Many people have asked us to make MotoFest Drive In Carols an annual event; pandemic or not!

The event closed with a festive number written by the musician, it can be downloaded for free here.

The main MotoFest festival welcomed 229,232 visitors over 2 days in 2019 and recent independent research by Coventry University showed the event provided an economic uplift of £10.4 million to Coventry over the festival weekend. The festival will be back on the 4^th – 6^th June 2021 as the first large event in Coventry’s year as City of Culture.

Almost 450 heritage organisations in England, including MotoFest Coventry have been awarded cash from the first round of the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage.

This financial boost from the government, thanks to the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund will help MotoFest Coventry and many more projects across the country through the coronavirus pandemic.

2020 has been a difficult year for all events and heritage organisations. MotoFest Coventry was no exception, with the postponement of their June 2020 automotive-themed, cultural festival.

MotoFest Coventry is one of 433 organisations who will receive a share of £67 million from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage to help with costs for operating and recovery.

MotoFest celebrates Coventry’s influence worldwide, past, present and future, on two wheels and four. The weekend long festival mixes live motorsport with heritage vehicle displays, music, food and film.

James Noble, Festival Director said:

“This government funding allows us to start planning for a Covid secure festival in 2021. We are delighted that the government have recognised the important work that MotoFest Coventry does in protecting and showcasing our mobile heritage.”

“MotoFest Coventry is unique in demonstrating the significant role that automotive heritage plays in providing a context for future transport innovation.”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

“As a nation it is essential that we preserve our heritage and celebrate and learn from our past. This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounce back post Covid.”

Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive said:

“The funding is an essential lifeline for our heritage and the people who work tirelessly to conserve it for us all, so that we can hand it on to future generations.”

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund said:

“It is absolutely right that investing in heritage should be a priority during this crisis and this support by Government is crucial.  Heritage creates jobs and economic prosperity, is a major driver for tourism and makes our towns, cities, and rural areas better places to live.  All of this is so important for our wellbeing and will be particularly vital when we start to emerge from this incredibly difficult time.

“Our heritage is still facing a perilous future – we are not out of the woods yet. But this hugely welcome funding from Government, and the money we continue to invest from the National Lottery, has undoubtedly stopped heritage and the organisations that care for it being permanently lost.”

MotoFest Coventry was founded in 2014 and has run annually until the hiatus caused by the Covid 19 pandemic. In 2019, MotoFest had a footfall of 229,000 individuals over the two day festival weekend, making it one of the largest and most important automotive events in the country.

The streets of Coventry rose once more with an exciting Covid secure automotive event, the Shakespeare Run – Revival, organised and run by the Coventry MotoFest team. As Saturday 26^th September rolled around, classic, vintage and veteran vehicles and motorcycles from across the region took to the streets of Coventry. The Run began on the Coventry Ring Road for a mobile start to enable compliance with current Covid-19 government guidelines. At 10.30am the Shakespeare Run – Revival left on a pre-planned, beautifully scenic route through Brinkford, Bretford, Princethorpe, Long Itchington, Offchurch, Cubbington, Beausale and finally back to Coventry through stunning Kenilworth via the Castle.

The Run was organised as the first Club MotoFest event. Club MotoFest is a new members club launched in June 2020, to bring together our thousands of MotoFest fans and publicise the return of the festival in June 2021.

Festival Director, James Noble said: “The Run has been an amazing success. Being able to organise and carry out a Covid-compliant event was a logistical triumph, of both the team and the participants. It was wonderful to bring a bit of joy to participants and onlookers.”

The specialist vehicle recovery operators, Carman Recovery,  were on hand to assist if there were any issues or breakdowns. Magnificently with the array of 66 classic vehicles and motorcycles, no recovery assistance was required.

The sunny but chilly day brought out a variety of vehicles from open top MGs to Lotus Sunbeams and Rolls Royces. With many taking part in the organiser’s anagram puzzle to win free entry to the next Club MotoFest event.

With so much positive feedback, the Coventry MotoFest team hope to run more Shakespeare Run – Revival type events in the near future with less restrictions. The events are designed to bring people together and celebrate Coventry and the automotive innovations from the past, present and future.

To get involved, sign up for free to Club MotoFest and receive the latest event related news.

Club MotoFest – https://bit.ly/2Ff50Q8

Facebook – @CovMotoFest

Instagram – @CovMotoFest

Twitter – @CovMotoFest

Website – https://www.coventrymotofest.com/

Coventry MotoFest may have been postponed until 4 – 6^th June 2021, but that does not mean all the action has to stop.  The team behind the much loved Coventry MotoFest event have been working hard to organise a Covid secure event for their Club MotoFest members.  Introducing the Shakespeare Run – Revival which has taken inspiration from the traditional Coventry Shakespeare Run, celebrating the motoring heritage of Coventry’s automotive industries.

How to get involved

The Shakespeare Run – Revival is an exclusive event aimed at Club MotoFest members. All members are able to register their classic, vintage and veteran cars, motorcycles and vehicles, aged 30 years and older, through the MotoFest website.

Where and when

The Shakespeare Run – Revival is on Saturday 26^th September 2020 and will take a drive (or ride) out through Coventry and the stunning scenery of the South Warwickshire countryside. More details on the event will be communicated to participants closer to the event itself.

Covid Secure

The Run will operate as a Covid secure event and feature an innovative mobile start and finish with no static displays, avoiding the possibility of crowds. Participants will be encouraged to stay within their vehicles and be advised on bringing Covid protection in case there is a need to stop.

For more information please visit – https://www.coventrymotofest.com/the-shakespeare-run-revival/

To register for the event please visit – https://www.coventrymotofest.com/the-shakespeare-run—revival-application/