If you’re already thinking about the next big motoring events, 2026 is shaping up to be another incredible year for car enthusiasts across the UK. From classic car rallies and concours gatherings to major performance showcases, there’s something for everyone – whether you collect, restore, or simply love spending weekends around beautiful machinery.
At Pitstop 66, we’re proud to be part of the UK’s vibrant car community, helping owners prepare and protect their vehicles before and after the season. Here’s our guide to some of the must-see car shows in 2026, both locally around Manchester and the North West, and across the UK.
North West & Northern England Car Shows 2026
Manchester Classic Car Show – EventCity, Manchester (Spring 2026)
A firm favourite in the North West calendar, the Manchester Classic Car Show brings together hundreds of vehicles spanning every decade of motoring. Expect stunning concours classics, restoration displays, live demonstrations, and a packed trader village.
Perfect for: Classic and vintage car enthusiasts. Why we love it: Great local atmosphere and easy access from our Stalybridge facility.
The British Motor Show North – Liverpool Exhibition Centre (Summer 2026)
Following the success of its Farnborough counterpart, the Northern edition of the British Motor Show is expected to return to Liverpool in 2026. It’s a showcase for performance cars, new launches, and electric innovation — a true celebration of modern motoring.
Perfect for: Modern performance and supercar fans. Why we love it: Combines new tech with classic passion.
Tatton Park Classic & Performance Car Spectacular – Knutsford, Cheshire (June 2026)
One of the UK’s longest-running and most popular outdoor car shows, Tatton Park attracts over 2,000 cars every year. From E-Types to modern Ferraris, it’s a true highlight of the regional motoring calendar.
Perfect for: Families and club members alike. Why we love it: A relaxed summer setting surrounded by beautiful parkland — ideal for networking with fellow enthusiasts.
National & Major UK Car Events 2026
Goodwood Festival of Speed – West Sussex (July 2026)
The ultimate celebration of motorsport and automotive innovation. Expect hill climbs, manufacturer debuts, and everything from historic racers to hypercars.
Perfect for: Everyone from collectors to performance enthusiasts. Why we love it: A bucket-list event that captures the full spirit of motoring.
Silverstone Classic – Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire (August 2026)
Now rebranded as The Classic at Silverstone, this is the world’s largest historic motorsport festival. Expect grids filled with vintage racing cars, live music, and family activities.
Perfect for: Classic car owners and race fans. Why we love it: Combines nostalgia and excitement in one iconic location.
Concours of Elegance – Hampton Court Palace (September 2026)
For those who appreciate the finest craftsmanship and heritage, the Concours of Elegance is the pinnacle of luxury car events in the UK. It’s an invitation-only display featuring some of the world’s rarest and most valuable vehicles.
Perfect for: Collectors, restorers, and marque purists. Why we love it: It celebrates the artistry of motoring in an extraordinary royal setting.
NEC Classic Motor Show – Birmingham (November 2026)
As the year winds down, the NEC Classic Motor Show is the ultimate season finale. With hundreds of car clubs, live restorations, and parts traders under one roof, it’s the go-to event for anyone passionate about classic motoring.
Perfect for: Classic car owners and project enthusiasts. Why we love it: The perfect winter weekend to get inspired for next year’s motoring projects.
Preparing for Show Season
Whether you’re exhibiting, detailing, or transporting your car to one of these events, preparation makes all the difference. At Pitstop 66, we help owners get their vehicles show-ready with our professional Detailing & Presentation and Logistics & Support services – from covered transport to full concours preparation.
If you’re attending or displaying in 2026, now’s the perfect time to plan your storage and maintenance. Our secure indoor and dehumidified indoor storage packages are ideal for owners who want their car kept in show condition all year round.
See You on the Show Circuit
From small regional meets to world-class motoring events, 2026 is set to be a spectacular year for car enthusiasts across the UK.
At Pitstop 66, we’re here to make sure your car looks its best wherever it goes – and is perfectly stored when it’s home.
Speak to our team today to arrange secure car storage in Manchester or to learn how we can help prepare your vehicle for next year’s car show season.
Getting a stored car ready for a show
A car that has been properly stored needs less preparation than one that has been sitting at home, but it still needs some. Allow a fortnight rather than a weekend.
- Two weeks out: tell the facility the date. Detailing done on a car that has been dry and untouched for months lasts far better than the same work on a car that has been out in weather
- Ten days out: tyre pressures back to running figures and a proper look at tread and sidewalls
- A week out: a road test long enough to get everything hot. Brakes bed back in, the exhaust dries out, and any fault appears while there is still time to fix it
- Days before: paint correction and protection if it is being done, then the car goes back inside rather than sitting on a driveway
- The day before: glass, wheels, arches and engine bay. Judges look at the parts owners forget
Getting there without ruining the work
The drive to a show is where a concours finish goes wrong. Motorway spray, stone chips, insects and rain undo a week of preparation in ninety minutes.
Enclosed transport avoids all of it, and for a serious concours car it is the difference between arriving prepared and arriving needing an hour of work in a field. We arrange enclosed transport, and collection and delivery within 65 miles is included with storage at no extra charge.
And afterwards
The most damaging part of the season is often the fortnight after the last event, when a car sits on a driveway still carrying whatever it collected on the way home. Salt, insect residue and brake dust are all mildly corrosive and all keep working for as long as they are left there.
A car coming back into storage goes through the full eight-stage intake before it goes anywhere near a bay — washed, dried completely, pressures raised, battery and fluids checked, discs cleaned. Storage from £150 a month including VAT, one month minimum.
Storing between events
For most owners the show season runs from spring to early autumn, which leaves six months where the car is doing nothing. Those are precisely the months that damage it — damp, salt in the air, overnight frost and the humidity swings that drive condensation onto cold metal.
Six months of indoor storage is £900 including VAT at our standard rate. Against that, one set of flat-spotted tyres is commonly £400 to £900 and a corroded set of discs £250 to £600. The sum tends to work before you count arriving at the first event of the season with a car that is ready rather than one that needs a fortnight.
A season plan that works
- October: last drive long enough to get everything hot, then straight into storage. Do not park it at home for three weeks first
- November to February: leave it alone. Managed humidity, battery on a conditioner, raised pressures, daily checks
- March: pressures back to running figures, a road test, and any work booked while there is still time
- April onward: detailing done shortly before the first event rather than months ahead, so it still looks like it
Tell us your first event date and we will have the car ready for it. Collection and delivery within 65 miles is included at no extra charge, and enclosed transport beyond that is quoted per job.
