The Geelong Revival Motoring Festival is on again and this year it is set to be bigger and better than ever. Now spanning across three days, the jam packed schedule will feature all things vintage from November 28 to 30. The event brings together hundreds of classic and exotic vehicles to Geelong’s magnificent waterfront, along with racing, exhibits, entertainment, food, music and fashion. The weekend spectators can browse through vintage treasures at Piccadilly Market and jive along with rockabilly performers at the Motor City Music Festival Stage. Saturday night will also see the inaugural cocktail party which will officially open the Geelong Museum of Motoring.
With this year’s theme being “Australian Made”, the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival is the perfect time to recognise Australia’s significant contribution to the motoring industry. The Geelong Speed Trials is a historic motoring event which began in 1956 and has always been held on Geelong’s iconic waterfront. The original speed trials were organised by the Western District Car Club and gave the local Geelong community the opportunity to witness world-class motorists race in the annual quarter mile sprints. Over the years, competitors have included a significant number of international and national motor racing identities, including Jack Brabham, Lex Davison and Bob Jane. The speed trials ceased to exist for almost a decade before the event was finally ‘revived’ in 2012. Inspired by the Brighton Speed Trails in the United Kingdom, the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival is now the largest Historic Sprints event in Australia.
The motoring festivities begin on Friday evening with hundreds of unique cars and motorcycles cruising through the streets of Geelong’s CBD in the inaugural “Geelong Revival Motoring Festival City Cruise”. Saturday and Sunday will see Shannons Classic Motor show in full swing. This year’s motor show will feature over 500 classic, retro, performance, prestigious and quirky cars, motorcycles and caravans scattered along Geelong’s waterfront precinct. At the same time over 300 exotic cars and motorcycles will race down Ritchie Boulevard in the quarter mile sprints.
This year the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival is hosting “The Amazing Mill Markets – National Vintage Fashion Awards”. The fabulous Miss Ruby Rabbit will be hosting this year’s awards. The well travelled pin-up personality and rockabilly stylist will help everyone re-live some of fashions favourite decades. Sponsored by the Amazing Mill Markets, this year’s show will be spread over two days. Saturday will showcase the modern classics post 1960, while Sunday’s parade is for the more traditional enthusiasts.
This year’s event will also see Saturday’s entertainment extended well into the evening, as families are invited to sit back and relax after a huge day of racing. The free Steampacket Cinema will run from 6pm till late. Starting early with CARS for the kiddies, and the young at heart, it will be followed with Gone in 60 seconds and then Mad Max the original.
Featuring something for everyone in the family, this year’s Geelong Revival Motoring Festival is an event not to be missed!
Motor City Music Festival at the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival
Get your engines running! Our friends and partners at the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival are returning to the Geelong Waterfront Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of November. Taking over the foreshore and surrounds, Geelong’s own Motor City Music Festival is once again proud to present the musical sounds to keep you entertained whilst watching cars do battle in the time trials.
The Motor City Music Festival stage at Steampacket Gardens, next to the Carousel, will feature some of the best rockin’ rockabilly music in town.
First up are the F100s, with their rockin’ retro honky tonk rockabilly sound. They mix Lefty Frizell, George Jones, Merle Haggard and Buck Owen (Bakersfield-style) which gets the dance floor jumping! They’ll be dragging down the straight to the Motor City Music Festival stage on Saturday afternoon 1-3:30pm.
Like their own custom made hot rods, the Straight 8’s are custom built to rock out. Australia’s longest running rockabilly band, the Straight 8’s are the real deal. Head on down to the Motor City Music Festival stage on Saturday afternoon 4-6pm.
On Sunday morning, before the roar of the track, head to the Motor City Music Festival stage for some Sunday morning blues with John McNamara. You’ll soon hear why John has been selected to represent Melbourne at the International Blues Challenge next February in Memphis TN. He’ll also be appearing at Pistol Pete’s Food and Blues on Thursday 11th of December Motor and City Music Festival, Geelong Showgrounds, March 2015. Sunday 30th 10-11am
Hank’s Jalopy Demons have some mileage out of their sounds and tunes to prove it: for the past 18 years these Demons have been purveyors of the rockin’ hill billy sound. Appearing on the Motor City Music Festival stage Sunday 1-3:30pm.
Rounding out the rockabilly-blues on the Motor City Music Festival Stage is Warrnambool’s own, The Sky Rockats – set to kick it into gear and into rockabilly space with their brand of rockin’ rockabilly cool, from the ‘50s all the way to the ‘90s. Sunday 3-4:30pm.
When&Where: Geelong Waterfront – November 28-30
