Monday 14th March 2022

Festival of the Unexceptional confirmed for July

If preened lawns and concours supercars aren't for you, maybe 2022 is the year for a FOTU visit...

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Following a successful return in 2021, Hagerty's Festival of the Unexceptional is back for 2022. To be held once more at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, this year's FOTU will take place on July 30th.

Unfamiliar with the festival? Where have you been since 2014?! As its name suggests, the Festival of the Unexceptional celebrates the unloved, the plain and the ordinary, those cars that just aren't seen on the road anymore. Some were never that popular to start with, some have really suffered for scrappage schemes and some were rusting in their first decade, leave alone a quarter of a century later.

However, unlike rare classic or contemporary exotica, these are the old cars you went to school in, or learnt to drive in, or bought for a pittance many moons ago. Which is probably why FOTU has proved so popular - there's nothing quite so powerful as nostalgia.

For 2022, the festival welcomes Mike Brewer as a celeb guest, and the Concours de l'Ordinaire judging panel includes Autocar's Steve Cropley. Hagerty says this year new measure will ensure easier parking, better catering and improved facilities.

Tickets for the 2022 Festival of the Unexceptional will go on sale next month, priced at £20 per car. So if you have a Renault 21 Savanna and six mates, that sounds like a great value day out (although maybe just one adult should go in the boot seats).

Mark Roper, Managing Director of Hagerty International, said: "Festival of the Unexceptional is rightly regarded as a highlight of the annual motoring event season, and I am delighted to present the 2022 show. The Hagerty team has worked hard to make key improvements to this year's event, ensuring the comfort of our guests on site and ease of access upon arrival, and we look forward to welcoming fans of the unexceptional to Lincolnshire this summer." Finally, though tickets aren't yet on sale, concours entries are being accepted; those with a suitably unexceptional car or light commercial vehicle built between 1967 and 1997 can submit their entry here.

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• 2021 Festival of the Unexceptional | PH Gallery

[Trusty Steed]

Looks like a grand out!

[Manic Street Sleeper]

Aha ... at last a nice article to read and discuss for all the SUV haters......

[itcaptainslow]

A far more interesting show than one with lines of super cars!

Last year was great

[DevonPaul]

Missed last years, but will be going this year if it doesn't sell out again.

£20?? - getting a bit pricey now

We went to an early one at Stowe (I think) in our daily driver Toyota and we were asked if we were displaying. "It's not a classic" my wife said with surprise, "it just hasn't broken down yet". Then we realised it was about 25 years old.

[Sandpit Steve]

Brilliant, great to see this one return to the calendar. The antidote to car festivals, that doesn’t take itself too seriously!

[J2daG1990]

DevonPaul said:

Missed last years, but will be going this year if it doesn't sell out again.

£20?? - getting a bit pricey now

We went to an early one at Stowe (I think) in our daily driver Toyota and we were asked if we were displaying. "It's not a classic" my wife said with surprise, "it just hasn't broken down yet". Then we realised it was about 25 years old.

Just pay with an old £20 that's out of tender, you'll probably find one in the glovebox.

[Lotusgone]

Went last year - a really good show. Small niggles were a lack of loos and poor organisation of the entrance - long queues caused by people handing out worthless leaflets - but hopefully that will be resolved for this year.

I still quite fancy a 1969 Viva.

[Darren390]

Great news, my favourite show of the year. As has been mentioned, I hope they improve the access, as it took me over 1 hour to get in last year. It was nice to be in the concours in the Orion, but will slum it with everyone else this time!

974AE8B3-E844-466C-965E-E5D748BA922E by Darren Richards, on Flickr

[Nik Gnashers]

Last year was brilliant.

yes there was a bit of a crawling queue to get in, and yes the portaloo's were a bit minging, but the actual cars were fabulous, and lots of them too.

I'll be no doubt making the journey again.

[aaron_2000]

Darren390 said:

Great news, my favourite show of the year. As has been mentioned, I hope they improve the access, as it took me over 1 hour to get in last year. It was nice to be in the concours in the Orion, but will slum it with everyone else this time!

974AE8B3-E844-466C-965E-E5D748BA922E by Darren Richards, on Flickr

I'm about to start looking for an Orion to hopefully take, albeit not one as immaculate as yours

[Mr Tidy]

I really like the concept, but don't have anything eligible.

If I keep my 2005 3 Series long enough you never know!

[Qubo]

This is a great little show ,I went in 2019 ,I highly recommend it ,whatever you drive .

[vikingaero]

DevonPaul said:

Missed last years, but will be going this year if it doesn't sell out again.

£20?? - getting a bit pricey now

Whoosh parrot, I know, but £20 for a car or 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 is a bargain!

[Flanners]

Great show and a great idea; for me a far more interesting and enjoyable day out than the rows and rows of the usual mundane supercar fayre.

[usualdog]

Sadly the price of admission (ownership not the ticket price) has shot up so stuff that was £300 a few years ago is now £5k.

[spoodler]

Lincoln's a long way from here in any of our "unexceptional" vehicles... shame, looks like it could be fun. We'll have to wait and see if Beaulieu does something similar. We won't be taking this... about as unexceptional as they come... albeit, in top spec' complete with a radio and opening windows!

[230TE]

Sounds like a nice outing for my Citroen AX project. Not sure it is quite unexceptional enough as it now has a Saxo VTR engine in it but I'm keeping it looking as standard as possible. Not sure I'll keep the Halfords wheel trims though.

[Philmoco]

Sounds boring ploughing through a field of old motor industry dross!

Now if you'd propose;

A celebration of exceptional umolested samples of sound international motor engineering, or

A celebration of unmolested revered UK motors, or

A celebration of unmolested UK performance motors

I'd be very interested!

Phil

[boyse7en]

Philmoco said:

Sounds boring ploughing through a field of old motor industry dross!

Now if you'd propose;

A celebration of exceptional umolested samples of sound international motor engineering, or

A celebration of unmolested revered UK motors, or

A celebration of unmolested UK performance motors

I'd be very interested!

Phil

I'm sure there will be plenty of examples from those three categories. Just not stuff that is rare (or rather, was rare at the time) or particularly expensive.

[Gavin Smith]

This is a great car show, probably one of the best I have been too. I went last year and will definitely be returning this year in my 1988 Nissan Sunny GS.