I attended the 2019 CarFest South event hosted at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire.
This event was created when Chris Evans went for a barbecue with 1979 F1 World Champion Jody Scheckter. Chris Evans wanted to hold a family orientated event combining cars, food and music raise money for BBC Children In Need. Jody Scheckter offered up Laverstoke Park Farm and the rest is history. The first event was held in 2012 and has been held in the same location since then. As well as BBC Children In Need, this year other charities that monies raised will also go to were Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, Rainbow Trust, Starlight and Teenage Cancer Trust.
Over the last seven years, CarFest has raised £13.5 million pounds for UK Charities.
As well as having a plethora of cars and a live track, Carfest also has live music from the Main Stage for national and international acts (Kaiser Chiefs and Roger Daltery to name a couple) and the Wigwam stage where local bands took to entertaining thousands of people.
Kids Kingdom, built for kids of all ages held several activities for kids of all ages, Car-Feast, a street party featuring an artisan market, the BarFest Arms pub and celebrity chefs such as James Martin and Candice Brown and Vintage CarFest that featured music, food, entertainment and shops from the past.
All this with enough food stands to sink a battleship and several trade stands should you want anything.
I came here in 2013 and I thought it was big then but upon arrival it was clear to see just how much this event has grown in six years as the photo's above show.
Speaking to Jody Scheckter later in the day, he told me that the attendance had gone from around 19,000 to around 28,000.
When I arrived, there was confusion as to where I should park as I had been given Media Accreditation to the event so at first I was sent to the Production Office. This meant having to drive a little of the track and then turn off shortly after the track began. I made my way to the office I was met by Anjna, one of the CarFest PR Team and told that I was some way from where I was meant to be. I made my back out of the Production Area and was about to go back the way I had come when security stopped me and advised me that I was not allowed to go back the way I had come. The only way out now was to follow the track to the finish line and back out. I was told not to go crazy or crash my car as the marshals were not yet at their stations.
With this I took the course slowly and picked my spot for photographing the cars later on that day.
The experience of driving the track also gave a completely different perspective of CarFest South.
Once parked properly, I made my way to sign on in the media tent and met Holly the other half of the CarFest PR Team and was issued my Media Pack.
After a quick chat, it was time to head out and start the day's photography.
The Carfest Paddock was quite a walk away from The Jody Scheckter, the Grand Prix Through the ages Paddock and the Car Club Area and throughout the day while on site i racked up 8 miles of walking.
Below are my photos from the Paddock's.
CarFest Paddock
Grand Prix Through The Ages
Jody Scheckter's Car Paddock
Highlights from the Car Club area
Once finished with the paddocks, I made my way to the track to watch and photograph the action.
I stationed myself with some very welcoming and helpful Marshall's Nicky, Pete and Mark.
Below are my photo's of the track side action.
NASCAR cars
Sporting Bears Dream Rides
Supercars, some of these are privately owned, some were brought by the manufacturers.
Vintage Classics
Hot Rods
Movie Cars
1960's Classics
MSA Legends
Group B
Drift Cars
Jody Sheckter in his Ferrari
Grand Prix through the ages.
If you can get to either CarFest South or North I highly recommend it.
This is a huge event something for everyone from the cars to the music and food and everything else in between as well as raising much needed funds for charity. It would require the weekend to see and do everything they have to offer. As I was there for the cars, 1 day was just about enough.
I would like to thank Holly and Anjna from the CarFest PR Team, and the team of Marshall's, Nicky, Pete and Mark who made me feel welcome as well as keeping the drivers and crowds safe.
For further information about CarFest, please visit:
