Chris Evans’ CarFest North. Just as big as CarFest South

Chris Evans’ second petrolhead extravaganza – CarFest North at Cholmondeley Castle – has been as big a success as CarFest South.

It may be a new petrolhead show on the calendar, but Chris Evans’ CarFest Shows have been a real success, not just for visitors but for the BBC’s Children in Need charity.

This last weekend saw CarFest North try and follow in the footsteps of last month’s CarFest South, which it appears to have done in style, pushing the amount raised for Children in Need up to £800k from both CarFest events.

More than 25,000 visitors enjoyed CarFest North – in perfect weather – with everything from Chris’s ‘Magnificent 7′ Ferraris via the Chiity Chitty Bang Bang car, Pink Floyd Nick Mason in his Ferrari 512S and 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC just a few of the car highlights.

But CarFest is not just about petrolhead fun, but it’s an event for the whole family. So music was high on the agenda with performances from Texas, Paloma Faith, The Proclaimers, The Magic Numbers and Razorlight (although, sadly, not Pink Floyd!).

Other entertainment included dancing JCBs and Welly Walling , fly-bys from aircraft representing eight decades of aviation history including a Vulcan bomber and a Spitfire and lots of foodie stuff including 50 pie and cake makers competing for the best in show, judged by The Great British Bake Off’s Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood.

Chris said:

CarFest North and South have been a dream team of food, music, cars and fun. The jackpot has been the family atmosphere dictated by the children themselves.

Happy smiling faces from dawn till dusk and beyond. Reminding us adults how to play! Both venues were fabulous and we thank our hosts very much, the Scheckters and the Cholmondeleys. Here’s to next year and by the time we’ve counted all those CarFest pennies, Pudsey and BBC Children In Need should be very happy. Thank you again one and all.

Looks like CarFest North and South – and perhaps Carfest East and West too – will be back for more family and petrolhead fun in 2013.

Well done all involved – a real success.

By Cars UK