Early bird tickets for the 2025 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional on sale from 17-30 March
Early bird tickets for the world renowned Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional will go on sale from 17-30 March 2025. This extremely popular motoring gathering returns to the spectacular Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire on Saturday 26th July 2025.
Early bird tickets start from £20 per person, £5 off the general ticket price, with free entry for children under 15. Owners of an Unexceptional car that they wish to promote for sale on the day, can do so for a discounted early bird price of £30 for the car and driver.
Ticket prices represent exceptional value for a full day of motoring nostalgia as well as events, displays and activities for the whole family and can be bought here from 17th March.
Motoring personalities, Richard Porter and Jonny Smith will return with their superb interactive Smith and Sniff banter on the live stage.
Those taking advantage of the early bird offer will be entered in a competition to enjoy the Festival of the Unexceptional in true VIP style. This includes an overnight stay, Hagerty Driver’s Club (HDC) membership for a year and an HDC special gift bundle. The winners will also be given access to the exclusive HDC member’s area at the event, will enjoy meet and greets with celebrities and receive a fantastic Commodore 64 Retro games console.
Hagerty Drivers Club members will benefit from 25% off tickets to the event and have access to an exclusive members’ area. If you aren’t yet part of this fantastic club with all its benefits and offers, then join today.
Entries are still open for the Concours de L’Ordinaire, but if you want to show your pride and joy then be quick because entries are closing soon and you can enter here.
Just 50 cars will be selected to be displayed in the beautiful courtyard of Grimsthorpe Castle. 2024 saw a completely unrestored 1982 Toyota Hilux win this exceptional concours event to be crowned the much coveted 2024 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional Champion. Other category winners included a 1998 Renault Clio, an Applejack Austin Metro and a Sunderland-built Nissan Primera.
For 2025 the entry criteria has been expanded to cover cars on sale between 1970-2000. That opens up a world of unexceptional 90s models, including the Fiat Multipla, Peugeot 406 and Chrysler PT Cruiser, as well as models that arrived along with the new millennium.
Now in its 11th year, this unique motoring festival that celebrates long-forgotten everyday family cars. With each of the years that have passed, the event has evolved, becoming bigger and better as its reputation has spread around the world, attracting many entries from overseas. 2024 saw a record attendance with over 2000 cars and more than 4000 visitors with FOTU era cars lining the castle grounds for as far as the eye could see. The public display had an eclectic mix ranging from a perfectly unexceptional Vauxhall Belmont to a base-spec, hubcap-shod W140 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and everything in-between.
Gates will open on 26th July at 7.30am so that owners of unexceptional and classic vehicles can make the most of a day packed with events that will continue until 5pm. The live stage will be back with a host of speakers and entertainment, including live music and some very special guests. Naturally there will be plenty of catering options to suit all tastes and lots for the kids to do.
“The Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional is one of the most loved events on the UK motoring calendar,” says Mark Roper, Managing Director of Hagerty International. “By expanding the qualifying years for 2025 we are including many models that weren’t previously eligible, adding even more excitement for those who appreciate the often-unappreciated cars of the era. Once again we will be putting on a great show with lots for everyone to do and see on the day, making an event for unexceptional cars, an exceptional family day out.”
Are you looking to sell your classic car? If so, please fill in the form below and we’ll get back to you.
