Automotive Festival
2027 CarFest presented by bp
Why You Should Go
Cars on the British Grand Prix circuit, live music and camping, with profits going to children's charities
Format
Three Day Festival
Crowd
Family crowds across the bank holiday weekend, no official attendance figure published
Vibe
Family festival with cars, music and camping
About This Event
CarFest is the UK's biggest family fundraising and motorsport festival, and 10% of every ticket and 100% of its profits go to UK children's charities, more than £28 million since 2012. It runs at Silverstone Circuit, the home of the British Grand Prix, where cars out on the track share three days with live music, chef stages and a campsite of families staying the whole bank holiday weekend.
1What to Expect
Track action on Silverstone Circuit is the centrepiece of the weekend, with the full 2027 car programme still to be announced by the organiser.
Live music from UK artists runs alongside the cars, and celebrities from stage and screen turn up across the site.
KidsFest is a village of inflatables and activities for children, FoodFest has cookery demonstrations from well known chefs, and SpaFest covers relaxation and wellbeing sessions.
The festival runs Friday to Sunday over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Campers with the Big Early upgrade arrive on the Thursday for the Big Early Party, and the campsites stay open until midday Monday.
2Best Way to Experience It
- Single day tickets cover Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and Friday was the cheapest day in 2026. Two day passes cover Friday and Saturday or Saturday and Sunday, and the 3 day weekend ticket covers all three.
- Camping tickets bundle the campsite with festival entry for all three days, which puts the evening music within walking distance of the tent rather than a drive home after the last act.
- Premium tickets add the Premium Lounge with a drink per day, lounge dining and bar, tea and coffee, luxury toilets and phone charging (2026 inclusions).
- Family tickets for 2 adults and 2 children were sold for Friday, Sunday, the weekend and camping in 2026, but not for Saturday or Premium.
About the Venue
3Nearby Accommodation
While you're in the area
Experiences near Silverstone Circuit
4Logistics
Getting thereDriving, Public transport, Rideshare and taxis, Best value route, Gates and reentry
Driving
- Silverstone Circuit (Towcester, NN12 8TN) is on the A43 dual carriageway: from the north by the M1 then the A43, from the south by the M40 then the A43.
- The organiser puts it about 60 minutes from Birmingham and 90 minutes from central London.
- Car parking passes were £5 a day or £15 for the weekend in 2026, cheaper bought in advance than on the day, and Blue Badge holders park free once the vehicle is registered.
Public transport
- Wolverton is the closest station, about 10 miles (16 km) away according to the organiser, with direct trains to London Euston, Birmingham New Street and Northampton.
- Banbury, Milton Keynes and Northampton stations are all under 13 miles (20 km) away.
- Stagecoach local buses stop close to the festival entrance, and no event shuttle is published for 2027.
Rideshare and taxis
- Uber lists Milton Keynes as one of its cities.
- The organiser lists local taxi firms that pick up and drop off at the circuit: Brackley 01280 701111, Milton Keynes 01908 222111 and Northampton 01604 222111 (2026 travel page).
Best value route
- Without a car, a train to a nearby station and a Stagecoach local bus to the festival entrance avoids both the parking pass and a taxi fare.
- Timetables are on stagecoachbus.com.
Gates and reentry
- In 2026 day visitor parking opened 8:30am to 11pm and festival doors 10am to 10:30pm, Friday to Sunday.
- Reentry works by scanning your ticket on the way out and again on return, at the organiser's discretion, and campers swap their mobile ticket for a barcoded wristband at entry.
Tickets and entryTickets, Bringing things in
Tickets
- 2027 tickets go on general sale in November 2026, with prices published then.
- Adult day tickets were from £93 in 2026.
- Tickets are mobile only, sold by Silverstone and official agents, and cannot be transferred or resold without written consent.
Bringing things in
- The 2026 terms banned glass, bags over 20 litres, barbecues, tents and shelters in the festival area, sun parasols, drones, bicycles, electric scooters (mobility scooters excepted) and flags, and listed alcohol as a prohibited item.
- Only registered assistance dogs, notified in advance, are admitted.
Staying overCamping
Camping
- A General Campsite, a Live In Vehicle Campsite, Glamping and an Accessible Campsite are listed for 2027, with packages still being prepared.
- In 2026 live in vehicle permits were £289 for an 8 x 7 m pitch, first come first served, with a camping ticket needed for every person and a limit of two permits per transaction.
5Frequently Asked Questions
?Suitable for kids?
It is built around families: KidsFest is a village of inflatables, children under 6 years go free (each still needs a 0 to 5 ticket), and child tickets cover 6 to 12 years and teen tickets 13 to 17 years. Under 18s must be with a full paying adult, up to four children per adult, on the same ticket type as that adult (2026 terms).
?Not a car person?
Live music, celebrity appearances, FoodFest cookery demonstrations and SpaFest wellbeing sessions run through the whole weekend alongside the track action.
?Worried about refunds if plans change?
Tickets cannot be cancelled once bought, and there are no refunds or exchanges for date or programme changes. Refunds apply only when the event is cancelled for reasons covered by Silverstone's insurance (2026 terms).
?Staying the whole weekend?
Camping tickets include festival entry Friday to Sunday, live in vehicles have their own campsite with permits, and an Accessible Campsite is listed for 2027.
6Cost Breakdown
| 2026 prices (2027 prices due at the november 2026 general sale) | Price |
|---|---|
| Friday adult | £93 |
| Saturday or Sunday adult | £108 |
| 3 day weekend adult, no camping | £210 |
| 3 day weekend adult with camping | £246 |
| Premium 3 day adult, no camping | £479 |
| Teen 13 to 17 years from | £42 |
| Child 6 to 12 years from | £23 |
| Under 6 years free with a ticket | |
| Friday family ticket, 2 adults and 2 children | £209 |
Last verified: 20 October 2026Official link: carfest.org
Tags
Permanent CircuitCampingMulti Day EventPublic TransportLive MusicAutomotive FestivalVIP HospitalityWheelchair UsersFood and DrinkFan FestivalFamilies
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