Top ten must-see attractions at the Home of British Motorsport
The best historic racing, incredible music, family fun and amazing food
Wide range of tickets on sale – kids under 16 go free!
Where better to spend this end-of-summer Bank Holiday weekend than at the sensational Silverstone Festival (25-27 August) with family and friends.
Here‘s a top ten of the attractions that all Silverstone Festival-goers must see over the three action-packed days.
1. 20 epic retro-races
While the off-track entertainment has been ramped up to record levels, it is the unrivalled programme of epic retro races which remains the event’s driving heartbeat. With many races featuring 50+ motoring legends from yesteryear, the Festival is the UK’s biggest race meeting with more than 800 entries spread across 20 spectacular showdowns. As Silverstone is celebrating its 75th anniversary, this year’s line-up is extra-special, featuring crowd-pleasing F1, GT, sports and touring cars from all of the famous circuit’s golden eras. Both racing paddocks are open to all-comers enabling visitors to see these great cars up close and to share fond memories with owners, drivers and mechanics.
2. A ‘must’ for all Formula 1 fans
This year’s incredible race card revives Silverstone’s Grand Prix history with no fewer than five fabulous showdowns reserved for much-loved Formula 1 cars from past epochs… but F1 fans have even more to enjoy. Daily on-track demos will reawaken the spirits of the past – notably on Sunday when BRM’s astonishingly noisy, supercharged V16 from the fifties and Lewis Hamilton’s pole-sitting Mercedes F1 W04 from 2013 take to the world famous Grand Prix circuit. Away from the track, the Fan Zone gives visitors the chance to get within touching distance of the latest Formula 1 cars from Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant, BWT Alpine, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS and Williams Racing.
3. Chart-topping bands on all three evenings
Bringing a bit of Glastonbury to rural Northamptonshire, Silverstone Festival is bringing three nights of live music. The Christians and ABC top the bill on the opening day followed by the Sugababes on Saturday before McFly bring down the curtain on Sunday. A limited number of evening-only entry tickets are available, giving access after 4pm.
4. Get your thrills here!
The Adrenaline Zone is made for thrill seekers. One for the more adventurous, there are awesome activities for all ages including an army assault course and mini-monster trucks. The high flying stars of Team Extreme also return by popular demand with their jaw-dropping BMX, skateboard and scooter skills on – and off – the ramps. They will be holding masterclasses, too, passing on tips and tricks to those keen to learn more.
5. Welcome to the Thunderdome
Remember the movie ‘Days of Thunder’? We can’t promise Tom Cruise but to celebrate the 75th anniversary of America’s legendary NASCAR race series (as featured in the 1990 film) there’s thrilling track demos on all three days. For the very first time, more than a dozen of V8 powered, 200mph US muscle cars will be unleashed on the famous Grand Prix circuit – sights and sounds not to be missed.
6. Rubber-burning, sideways action
With fiery dragsters, tyre-smoking drifters and super-cool retro-styled hot rods all lighting things up, the Yokohama Shift & Drift Zone is well worth the price of admission on its own! And that’s not all… record-breaking stunt driver Terry Grant will be wowing crowds while Slowly Sideways will be revving up their evocative rally cars for dramatic demos runs. It all adds up to another unmissable high-octane Silverstone Festival attraction.
7. Cooking up a Foodie Fest
Catering for those with a love for healthy living, the event’s Foodie Fest features an artisan market with the best local produce, a tasting tent and Silverstone Kitchen Live with demos from expert TV chefs. Those cooking up a storm include Great British Bake-Off finalist Steven Carter-Bailey and 2021 MasterChef winner Tom Rhodes. Diddly Squat Farm Shop has a pop-up shop bringing all the favourites from Amazon Prime’s widely-acclaimed show Clarkson’s Farm. Pints of Clarkson’s own premium Hawkstone Lager will also be on sale for thirsty festival-goers.
8. Fun, fun, fun…
Racing simulators, crazy golf, a reaction-testing Batak light-wall and a wheel-change pit-stop challenge plus traditional fun fair rides are all part of what’s on offer (and included in the ticket price) over the weekend, too.
9. Under the hammer
For visitors inspired to join the classic car revolution, Iconic Auctioneers have an incredible array of road and racing icons for sale over the weekend. Highlights coming under the hammer include some rally cars once owned by the great Colin McRae as well as a pair of Ford Capris from the crime action TV series The Professionals as driven by special agents Bodie and Doyle.
10. An extra immersive experience
All tickets for the Festival include free admission to the award-winning Silverstone Museum, situated at the circuit’s entrance. Filled with more incredible displays – including Nigel Mansell’s title winning Williams FW14B, Alain Prost’s 1990 British Grand Prix winning Ferrari 641 and Ayrton Senna’s 1991 McLaren MP4/6 - and interactive experiences tell the full 75 year tale of motorsport at Silverstone.
Ticket information
A wide-range of tickets for the Festival Bank Holiday weekend are on offer with best prices available to those booking now in advance (and kids go free).
