TOWCESTER, U.K. (August 19, 2026) – CarFest, the UK’s biggest family fundraising festival, will make its first appearance at Silverstone Circuit this summer, bringing together world-class music, motorsport and entertainment for a weekend in support of some of the country’s best-loved children’s charities.

Founded by Chris Evans in 2012, CarFest has grown from a single gathering into one of the UK’s most beloved end-of-summer traditions, raising more than £28 million to date for BBC Children in Need, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, Rainbow Trust, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Teenage Cancer Trust, and Young Epilepsy. For 2026, the festival relocates to the iconic Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, giving fans more cars (261 cars in the paddock valued at over £100 million), more space, more track, and an even bigger weekend of family entertainment.

“This move opens up possibilities we’ve never had before—more space, more cars, more ways to surprise our audience, and most importantly, an opportunity to raise even more money for UK children’s charities.”

– Chris Evans, Founder

Running Friday, August 28 through Sunday, August 30, the festival’s Main Stage lineup spans three distinct nights of music. Friday brings Jessie J, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Gok Wan; Saturday features James Morrison, Sugababes and Tom Jones; and Sunday closes the weekend with Gabrielle, The Proclaimers, Rick Astley, and a headline performance from Nile Rodgers & CHIC, alongside Elio Pace’s tribute to Billy Joel.

Beyond the Main Stage, CarFest’s signature mix of food, comedy, wellness and motoring content returns in full force. FoodFest, sponsored by Skoda, brings live cooking demonstrations from Tom Kerridge, Dame Prue Leith, Cyrus Todiwala, Glynn Purnell, Atul Kochhar and The Happy Pear. StarFest offers comedy and conversation from Lee Mack, Rob Brydon, Ben Miller, Susie Dent and Marian Keyes, before transforming into Club CarFest for evening DJ sets. SpaFest rounds out the wellness offering with sessions from Dr Rangan Chatterjee and Mr Motivator.

True to its name, CarFest’s automotive programming remains at the heart of the weekend. Richard Hammond returns to host live track displays and stunt shows alongside Izzy Hammond and Mat Watson, giving fans an up-close look at some of the world’s most exciting cars in action on Silverstone’s world-famous circuit.

As always, proceeds from ticket sales will benefit CarFest’s six charity partners, continuing a tradition that has made the festival a cornerstone of UK charitable giving for over a decade.

“CarFest is a perfect fit for Silverstone. Together, we can deliver an even bigger and better event while raising vital funds for charity.”

– Stuart Pringle, Silverstone CEO

Dates & Ticket Info
CarFest 2026 (Silverstone Debut): August 27–30, 2026 (Labor Day weekend in the UK), with ticketing details coming soon.

CarFest 2025 (Final Hampshire Show): August 22–24, 2025. Last-chance tickets are on sale at CarFest.