Drive-It Day
NEW for 2026, all owners of pre-2005 classic vehicles were invited to take part in Drive-It Day.
National Drive-It Day was launched in 2005 by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs to celebrate motoring heritage. It marks the One Thousand Mile Trial, which took place in 1900 to demonstrate the potential of the newly invented motor vehicle! The event also raises funds for children’s charity NSPCC and a portion of each participant ticket will go to the charity. Visit the Drive-It Day website to purchase your fundraising plate, with proceeds donated to the NSPCC, and to access the JustGiving link for donations.
Owners of pre-2005 vehicles (inclusive of 2005) of any make and model were invited to join the celebration at Beaulieu and show their support for keeping motoring heritage alive on UK roads, whilst also supporting NSPCC and their work.
All participants had the opportunity to be chosen as the winner of the Best in Show Award, selected by public vote. Prizes are awarded to the winner and runners-up.
BRING THE CLUB!
Club bookings were accepted. Clubs wishing to reserve an area to park together within the event were asked to email [email protected] with the following information:
Club Name
Club Organiser
Club Organiser contact details (telephone number and email address)
Expected number of vehicles (clubs must reach a minimum of 10 vehicles to qualify for a club stand, final numbers required 2 weeks prior to event)
Any special requests/requirements
Please note, club spaces are only reserved until 10.30am, after which the area will be used for general participant parking. Club bookings must be received at least 2 weeks in advance of the event in order to reserve a dedicated parking area.
COMING WITH FRIENDS
Those wishing to park up alongside their friends needed to arrive together as we are unable to reserve adjacent spaces for later arrivals. As we capture advance vehicle information, we do ask that you make separate orders for persons attending in different vehicles where possible.
THE STORY BEHIND THE CAR
We invited a small number of owners to join our show commentator Our Tim in the arena for a relaxed Q&A session at 1.30pm.
This was a chance for owners to share the story behind their vehicle with visitors, from remarkable restorations, unusual histories, memorable road trips, and personal stories worth telling.
Selected cars were invited to park on the arena display area and took part in a short informal chat with Tim at 1.30pm, where he explored the background of the car and what makes it special!
TICKETS & PRICES
PARTICIPANTS
Participant prices were only valid if arriving in a classic car and displaying a vehicle within the event. They were not valid for those arriving on foot and were only applicable for persons arriving in the display vehicle. Entry in your classic car was from 9.30am via the main Beaulieu entrance.
Please note, participant tickets were per person and enough tickets had to be purchased to cover all the occupants of a vehicle. Participant tickets were not valid for additional persons not arriving in a relevant vehicle. Tickets could not be used across multiple vehicles so those wishing to come with friends were required to make separate orders.
VISITORS
Those who do not own a classic car could still come and enjoy this event as a visitor. Visitor tickets could be purchased in advance or on the day from Visitor Reception. Entry for visitors was from 10am via Visitor Reception.
Type | Adult | Child (age 4-16)* |
|---|---|---|
Participants – Advance | NOW ENDED | NOW ENDED |
Participants – Standard | NOW ENDED | NOW ENDED |
Visitors | Normal admission applies. | Normal admission applies. |
*Children under 4 required a ticket, which could be booked online free of charge when booking adult tickets.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Participant and visitor tickets included entrance to the rest of the Beaulieu attraction, including the National Motor Museum, Palace House, Little Beaulieu, Beaulieu Abbey and its grounds and gardens
Complimentary carer tickets were available for participants if required. Participants were asked to complete their order online for their participant tickets and email [email protected] with their booking reference, after which we a carer ticket could be emailed to them. Proof of eligibility was required in conjunction with all carer tickets, such as Compass Cards, PIP Letters or Blue Badges. There was no further discount for concessionary tickets as participant tickets are already discounted from our general admission tickets.
VEHICLE ENTRY
Entry with your classic car was from 9.30am – 2pm.
Visitors were advised to print or download their ticket (as signal can be limited on site) and have them ready to be scanned on arrival.
We ask participants not to arrive early as no facilities will be open prior to 9.30am.
Cars cannot leave and re-enter the grounds.
BEST IN SHOW AWARD
The Best In Show Award took place at 3pm on the arena where the top 3 cars, as voted for by the public, received prizes.
Visitors could vote for their favourite car at the voting station by the arena. Voting closed at 1.30pm. Winners were required to be with their vehicle at 2.30pm to be notified of winning.
Exhibit with us
Join us as an exhibitor at this event in the future to showcase your products to an audience of motoring enthusiasts!
Stand spaces are available as follows:
3m frontage by 5m depth
6m frontage by 5m depth
Each stand space includes 1 vehicle pass and 2 entrance wristbands. All items, including gazebos and vehicles, must fit within your stand space*. Multiple stands can be purchased to create a larger stand space if needed. All bookings must be received by 2pm the Thursday before the event.
To exhibit at this event, please download and complete the booking form and email [email protected].
For terms and conditions click here and for FAQs click here.
*Parking is available a short distance from the stand space for any vehicles/trailers that do not fit within the space. Stand spaces are adjacent to stallholders with a 1m gap between stalls, as such, please ensure you are able to drive into the space if the vehicle is to remain on site as we cannot guarantee your exact stand position.
KEEP IN TOUCH
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Driving in the New Forest
We are very lucky to be located in the heart of the New Forest, however this does offer up some unique hazards on the roads that require extra care as detailed in the Highway Code.
Please drive carefully and responsibly when attending our events and be aware of free-roaming animals and cyclists on the roads.
Due to the close proximity of our neighbours, please be respectful when entering and leaving the event.
