Hagerty’s FOTU takes place on Saturday 27th July at Grimsthorpe Castle
2024 event celebrates 10-years of Festival of the Unexceptional
FOTU presents the world’s largest display of mundane motors
New opening times announced for 2024, along with a host of show improvements and special activations
Tickets, priced at £35 per car not per person,
Hagerty’s world renowned Festival of the Unexceptional celebrates its 10-year anniversary at Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire on Saturday 27th July.
Festival of the Unexceptional, a show dedicated to great everyday classic cars, was launched by Hagerty in 2014 and has since earned its place as a must-attend event in the automotive calendar. Showcasing much maligned and long-forgotten ‘ordinary’ classic cars of the 70s, 80s and 90s, it remains the only event to celebrate the everyday cars we all know and love, placing them into a traditional classic car concours setting.
To celebrate 10 years of unexceptional celebration many special cars, activations and guests will be announced over the coming weeks, but the show itself will see some improvements, and some old favourites, to make it the best FOTU yet.
More time to enjoy the show: Gates open earlier and close later – opening at 7.30am and finishing at 7.30pm. Early arrivers and late-stayers can expect some special surprises from the Hagerty team, with more details to follow.
Better access: Unexceptional cars now have their own entrance to speed up entry, helping owners get parked and ready to enjoy the day. Modern cars will be guided away from the display lawn to a separate parking area.
Concours d’Ordinaire: With more entries than ever for the Concours, and spaces limited to just 50 cars in the main competition, the quality of cars being entered gets better every year. Who will win this year’s battle of the blands?
People’s Choice: In addition to the main Concours there is now a special award to be chosen by festival-goers. Guests can check out the cars on display, before voting for their favourite.
Retro Repmobile: Another festival favourite returns in the shape of Retro Repmobile – a celebration of the best company cars, with more chances to win prizes. If you’ve got a poverty-spec Peugeot 405, a base-spec Cavalier, or a simple Sierra then this is the place for you.
Live Music & Special Guests: Get your groove on with a programme of music and live acts providing entertainment all day. There’ll also be some very special guests and activities on stage throughout the day, which will be announced soon.
Great food and drink: FOTU 2024 has double the number of food trucks to keep queues down, with choices including hearty burgers, fish’n’chips and fancy fajitas.
Giveaways galore: Pay a visit to the Hagerty Lawn and you could be in with the chance of winning a car in Hagerty’s Classic Car Giveaway. You’ll also be able to buy tickets for future events and pick up marvellously mundane merchandise.
An incredible venue: Grimsthorpe Castle is a truly spectacular setting that can trace its roots to the 13th Century. Set in 3,000 acres of perfect pastures, lakes and woodland that was artfully landscaped by Capability Brown, this stately home provides FOTU with rather exceptional surroundings.
Great value: Tickets are just £35 per car, or just £7 per person for five people in an unexceptional family car. Fill every seat in an early Espace and you’ll not only get the kudos of arriving in Gallic style, but you’ll pay just £5 each
Mark Roper, Managing Director of Hagerty International, said “The 2024 Festival of the Unexceptional will be the best show to be presented in its 10-year history. We will soon announce some very special guests and activations to further enhance the greatest display of unexceptional cars in the world, making this a unique event not to miss.”
Owners of Unexceptional cars can now apply to be a part of the 10th Anniversary Festival of the Unexceptional Concours De L'ordinare event, held on the main lawn of Grimsthorpe Castle. Nominated cars will be judged for their eligibility by the experts at Hagerty, with 50 cars being chosen to form the main Concours event.
