The popular free family festival Gloucester Goes Retro will return to the city centre on Saturday 29 August 2026. Organised by Gloucester BID and Gloucester City Council, in partnership with Visit Gloucester, the event will transform the city into a celebration of vintage culture.
The festival will feature over 500 classic vehicles displayed throughout the historic Gate Streets and Gloucester Docks, showcasing cars from the 1900s through the 1990s. The city’s four historic gate streets are set to represent different eras during the event: Westgate will host vehicles from 1900-1949, Northgate will feature the 1950s, Eastgate will feature the 1960s, and Southgate will cover the 1970s to the present day. In addition to the classic car display, visitors can expect vintage fashion shows, a retro music festival, and street theatre.
This event has historically drawn more than 80,000 visitors to the city and provides a significant economic boost to local businesses. With tourism contributing over £300 million annually to the local economy, the festival serves as a key opportunity to highlight what the city has to offer.
Local businesses are currently being invited to partner with the festival and Visit Gloucester to reach new audiences through the event’s marketing campaign. The deadline for businesses to submit their own retro-themed activities for inclusion in this campaign is 30 June 2026.
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