{{Short description|Music and motoring festival in England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox recurring event | name = <!--Uses page name if omitted--> | logo = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | logo_size = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | status = Active | genre = Family festival | frequency = Annually | venue = {{Plainlist| * Bolesworth Estate, Cheshire, England * Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire, England }} | coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LON|type:event|display=inline,title}} --> | country = England | years_active = <!-- {{age|YYYY|mm|dd}} Date of the first occurrence --> | first = {{start date|2011|08}} | founder_name = Chris Evans | last = <!-- Date of most recent event; if the event will not be held again, use {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} --> | prev = | next = | participants = | attendance = | capacity = | area = | budget = | activity = | leader_name = | patron = | organised = | people = | member = | sponsor = | website = }} thumb|CarFest South 2022
'''CarFest''' is an annual family music and motoring festival held in Cheshire and Hampshire, England. It was founded by the radio presenter Chris Evans in 2012,<ref name="BBC-33886674">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-33886674|title=Chris Evans puts Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car up for auction|date=12 August 2015|work=BBC Online|accessdate=12 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="Scullion">{{cite web|url=http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/news/auction-news/1508/serial-carfest-charity-donor-gives-away-moggie-van-and-saloon/|title=Serial CarFest charity donor gives away Moggie van and saloon|last=Scullion|first=Murray|date=4 August 2015|work=Classic Cars For Sale UK|accessdate=12 August 2015}}</ref> and raises funds for Children in Need, a British charity. The festival presents a variety of entertainment - live music performances, track shows, celebrity chef demos, driving experiences, a steam fair, a fundraising family fun run and a carnival fancy dress parade.
== Dates == Both events have taken place annually since 2012, with the exception of 2020 when they were cancelled due to COVID-19. The North event has been held at 3 locations throughout Cheshire, including Cholmondeley Castle, Oulton Park, and the Bolesworth Estate, with the South event being held at Laverstoke Park Farm in Overton, Hampshire every year since its debut.
2022 was the last year that CarFest North took place at the Bolesworth estate, with a focus to making one main annual event at Laverstoke Park.
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! CarFest North !! CarFest South |- | {{Center|2012}} || {{Center|8-9 September<br />{{small|(held at Cholmondeley Castle)}}}} || {{Center|25-26 August}} |- | {{Center|2013}} || {{Center|2-4 August<br />{{small|(held at Oulton Park)}}}} || {{Center|23-25 August}} |- | {{Center|2014}} || {{Center|1-3 August<br />{{small|(held at Oulton Park)}}}} || {{Center|22-24 August}} |- | {{Center|2015}} || {{Center|31 July-2 August<br />{{small|(held at Oulton Park)}}}} || {{Center|28-30 August}} |- | {{Center|2016}} || {{Center|29-31 July<br />{{small|(held at Bolesworth Estate)}}}} || {{Center|26-28 August}} |- | {{Center|2017}} || {{Center|28-30 July<br />{{small|(held at Bolesworth Estate)}}}} || {{Center|25-27 August}} |- | {{Center|2018}} || {{Center|27-29 July<br />{{small|(held at Bolesworth Estate)}}}} || {{Center|24-26 August}} |- | {{Center|2019}} || {{Center|26-28 July<br />{{small|(held at Bolesworth Estate)}}}} || {{Center|23-25 August}} |- | {{Center|2020}} || {{Center|Cancelled due to Covid-19}} || {{Center|Cancelled due to Covid-19}} |- | {{Center|2021}} || {{Center|23-25 July<br />{{small|(held at Bolesworth Estate)}}}} || {{Center|27-29 August}} |- | {{Centre|2022}} || {{Centre|22-24 July<br />{{small|(held at Bolesworth Estate)}}}} || {{Centre|26-28 August}} |}
== Scalextric ==
For the 2015 CarFest South, former F1 driver Martin Brundle created a 45-metre Scalextric circuit.<ref name="Scalextric">{{cite web|url=http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/motoring-news/scalextric-track-built-for-chris-evans-carfest-to-be-sold-for-children-in-need-11363997502382|title=Scalextric track built for Chris Evans CarFest to be sold for Children In Need - BT|date=12 August 2015|work=BT Group|accessdate=12 August 2015}}</ref>
== Air crash ==
During the 2015 event, held at Oulton Park, Cheshire, a Folland Gnat aircraft, one of pair performing a display, crashed into the ground, killing the pilot, Kevin Whyman.<ref name="BBC-33882212">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-33882212|title=CarFest pilot death: Aeroplane 'broke into pieces' - BBC News|date=12 August 2015|work=BBC Online|accessdate=12 August 2015}}</ref>
==CarFest Supergroup==
Richard Jones of The Feeling put together the CarFest Supergroup, on behalf of Evans, who released a live double album for the 10th anniversary of the music and motoring festival, with the profits going to a number of charities including the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Starlight Children's Foundation. Musicians on the album include Roger Daltrey, KT Tunstall, Gary Kemp, Ricky Wilson and Jones' wife Sophie Ellis-Bextor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eminetra.co.nz/chris-evans-releases-charity-album-to-commemorate-carfests-10th-anniversary/66115/|title=Chris Evans Releases Charity Album to Commemorate Carfest's 10th Anniversary|date=5 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/tv/news/chris-evans-launches-carfest-charity-album-1265514.html|title=Chris Evans launches CarFest charity album}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart-update/|title = Official Albums Chart Update Top 100 | Official Charts Company|website = OfficialCharts.com}}</ref>
== Break from Brand Events == In 2022, Brand Events, who previously organised the CarFest event for 11 years, moved away from the venture and CarFest Management was set up.
== References == {{Reflist}}
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Category:2012 establishments in England Category:Recurring events established in 2012 Category:Festivals in England Car Show