Lombard Rally Bath and Lombard Rally Festivals - bringing historic rally cars, hero drivers and great entertainment
The series of historic rally car demonstration events run by the Lombard Rally organisation expands in 2026. The series taps into the growing interest in historic rally cars, and the group of such cars that are often now unable to be rallied competitively. They are too valuable to be rallied, fall outside current regulations in the UK or their owners do not want to damage them due to difficulties in obtaining replacement parts. Add to the cars, some of the most iconic rally drivers to compete in the period cars, driving the cars and telling stories of winning and losing.
Upcoming Lombard Festival Events
Weston Park, Telford
7th & 8th March 2026
The year kicks off with us taking a historic rally car demonstration event back to the iconic Weston Park, between Birmingham and Telford, on a tarmac stage on March 7th & 8th. With a huge spectator area overlooking most of the stage and a classic and sports car display, this will be an amazing event. Starting at lunchtime on Saturday, with a social event for the drivers and guests at the Orangery in the evening, before running all day on Sunday, this will be a great attraction. The featured car will be the Audi Quattro, with many in action on the stage.
Brechin Castle
13th & 14th June 2026
We have a busy June, with our latest venue at Brechin Castle welcoming a Lombard Rally Festival on June 13th & 14th. Our second Scottish event takes us to North East Scotland, with this great mixed surface stage offering a great challenge to drivers and multiple spectator spots to view the action.
Lombard Rally Festival Brechin Castle will also be supporting a local charity with various activities. On Thursday 11th June we will host a Charity Golf Day at Edzell Golf Club - watch for details of how you can support both of your favourite sports! We will be delighted to bring not only rally drivers to support the day, but other sports stars too.
Longleat
27 & 28 June 2026
On 27–28 June, the Lombard Rally Festival returns to Longleat as a key highlight of the exciting new Longleat Motor Show Weekender. This special edition will celebrate two major milestones: 60 years since Longleat Safari Park first opened its doors to the public, and the 50th anniversary of the first Bath-based Lombard Rally, honouring the iconic events of 1976, 1980, 1983, and 1986.
This is an unmissable weekend for rally fans, classic motorsport enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates the heritage, spectacle and sound of rallying’s golden era.
Craufurdland Castle, Kilmarnock
22nd & 23rd August 2026
The third running of Lombard Rally Festival Craufurdland Castle, follows on August 22nd & 23rd, with some fantastic hero drivers joining us from Scandinavia to feature a Group B reunion. See examples of Group B rally cars which swept the rallying world before being outlawed from the World Championship at the end of 1986 - yes 40 years ago!
St. Giles, Dorset
Dates TBC
Finally we return to Lombard Rally Festival St Giles, Dorset.
No other series of historic rally car demonstration events offers such venues for the drivers, combined with such a spectacle for the spectator.
Each event will offer a special hospitality zone for spectators, the chance to interact with the drivers and the cars, with other displays and attractions for the family.
The Lombard Rally Festival series
The Lombard RAC Rally was the largest attended sporting event in the UK. More people came out to watch over its November weekend than watched every football league match added together during the season. Running since 2018, we not only bring a weekend of historic car action, we bring a display of sports and classic cars, features for all of the family and, of course, a food court and other shopping opportunities.
Our rally demonstration events feature historic cars rarely seen in action, letting the driver bring the car to places it wouldn't otherwise go and letting the watcher see things they wouldn't be able to normally. Get to talk to the car owners and drivers, up close.
After a fantastic second running of Lombard Rally Festival Craufurdland Castle, we then moved on to St. Giles in Dorset to complete the year. Thank you to Harri Toivonen, Harald Demuth, Dai Llewellin, Harri Rovanpera, Juha Paasonen and Angelica Fuentes Garcia for joining us at Craufurdland Castle.
Your Featured Drivers at Lombard Rally Festival St. Giles were Andy Dawson and we were pleased to bring Harald Demuth from Germany again.
Previous Lombard Festival Events
Bath
Grimsthorpe Castle
UK's first historic rally tour
We are proud to have organised the UK's first historic rally tour with untimed special stages in 2018 in Bath and started bringing the concept to other parts of the UK in 2019. The process continues with our Rally Festivals around the country. We hope that you can join us, whether as an entrant or as a spectator.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s the competitive sections of the Lombard RAC Rally took place largely in forests which were not easy for spectators to visit. In 1977 the concept of the first day visiting spectator stages at stately homes and other more accessible venues. Our events are designed to recreate that, to allow you to get up close to cars from that period.
Have a go at Rallying
If you fancy having a go, we can organise a hire car for you from a number of independent suppliers - you don't have to be as sideways as this! Some tuition in the car before the event will also be available.
On our events at more than one venue there will be some navigation involved which is deliberately designed to be as easy as possible. Once again, it is possible to organise tuition for this as well. So taking part in one of our events can be a truly family affair!
Other events have followed our lead, as they say, imitation is the sincerest type of flattery!
Join us on the original and the best historic rally car demonstration events in the UK.
We look forward to seeing you soon on a Lombard Rally Bath or Lombard Rally Festival event.
Organised by Rally Enthusiasts for Rally Enthusiasts and others who want to learn about a period frequently described as the 'Golden Years of Rallying'.
Whether amazing cars from the period, or amazing drivers from the period, they each have great tales to tell. We welcome the drivers who want to recreate what those lucky enough to have taken part, experienced at the time - make sure that you join us! Whether you join us to spectate, or whether you would like to hire a Ford Escort Mk2, a Subaru Impreza or MG - get in touch
Weston Park, Telford
7th & 8th March 2026
The year kicks off with us taking a historic rally car demonstration event back to the iconic Weston Park, between Birmingham and Telford, on a tarmac stage on March 7th & 8th. With a huge spectator area overlooking most of the stage and a classic and sports car display, this will be an amazing event. Starting at lunchtime on Saturday, with a social event for the drivers and guests at the Orangery in the evening, before running all day on Sunday, this will be a great attraction. The featured car will be the Audi Quattro, with many in action on the stage.
Brechin Castle
13th & 14th June 2026
We have a busy June, with our latest venue at Brechin Castle welcoming a Lombard Rally Festival on June 13th & 14th. Our second Scottish event takes us to North East Scotland, with this great mixed surface stage offering a great challenge to drivers and multiple spectator spots to view the action.
Longleat
27 & 28 June 2026
June 27th & 28th brings our contribution to the new Longleat Motor Show - Weekender, in Wiltshire.
CRAUFURDLAND CASTLE
22nd & 23rd August 2026
The third running of Lombard Rally Festival Craufurdland Castle, follows on August 22nd & 23rd, with some fantastic hero drivers joining us from Scandinavia to feature a Group B reunion. See examples of Group B rally cars which swept the rallying world before being ourlawed at the end of 1986 - yes 40 years ago!
St. Giles, Dorset
Dates TBC
Finally we return to Lombard Rally Festival St Giles, Dorset.