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CarFest line up announced and tickets are now on sale – everything you need to know about the family-friendly festival

Last modified on Thursday 22 February 2024

racing car

If you're thinking of going to this year's event, NOW is the time to book your tickets, and accommodation

Tickets are now on sale for CarFest 2024 – the ultimate three-day family fundraising festival – and part of the line up has been announced, too.

The event – which raises money for BBC Children in Need – plus further children's charities – is held every year across 2,500 acres of English farmland in Hampshire.

Whether you are car enthusiasts, festival-goers, or just families wanting to give your children great experiences, CarFest has something for everyone.

Virgin Radio presenter Chris Evans – the mastermind behind CarFest – is gearing up for a spectacular 13th edition in August 2024, with big names appearing at the event.

What is CarFest?

As the name suggests, CarFest is a festival of cars, but CarFest 2024 is about more than just cars.

It's a merger of seven distinct festivals, coming together for one fabulous weekend. Festivals include:

  • StarFest
  • FoodFest,
  • SpaFest,
  • RetroFest,
  • KidsFest,
  • AdventureFest,
  • and, of course, CarFest!

From live music, an assortment of outdoor activities, and comedy to classic cars, celebrity sightings, and culinary demonstrations, the festival guarantees an unforgettable experience for the whole family.

Whether you’re a foodie looking for culinary tips, a car aficionado looking for racetrack thrills, or want to catch insights from celebrities and wellness experts, CarFest 2024 caters to all tastes.

dj on stage

This years line-up.... so far

CarFest wouldn’t be complete without a line-up of star-studded talent! From pop legends to iconic tribute bands, look who's coming...

On Friday 23 August, Beverley Knight, Scouting for Girls, Reef and Furnace and the Fundimentals will all appear.

On Saturday 24 August, Olly Murs, Sam Ryder and and Rick Parfitt Jnr will take the stages.

And on Sunday 25 August, UB40 ft Ali Cambell, Deacon Blue, The Feeling and Billington and Quinn will perform.

CarFest will announce more stars as the months go on.

When and where is CarFest?

CarFest runs from Friday 23 August until Sunday 25 August 2024 at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire.

The festival opens at 12pm on Friday and 10am on Saturday and Sunday.

This year, CarFest has partnered with bp pulse, whose electric vehicle charging network is one of the UK's largest. Organisers will release more big names as the months tick on.

How do I book tickets?

There's a variety of different tickets available here.

One-day tickets

You might just want to go for one day, in which case, buy a one day ticket, for either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Child tickets start at £20 and adult tickets start at £87. Tickets include parking.

There are also premium one-day tickets, which give access to the premium lounge and includes a glass of fizz or a pint. There's also complimentary tea and coffee throughout the day, trackside viewing, charging hubs and more.

Weekend tickets

You can also get weekend tickets both with and without camping. Prices for a child to access CarFest on Friday, Saturday and Sunday without camping start at £54, and are priced at £195 for adults. If you add a camping pitch, it's £65 for kids and £228 for adults.

There are even options to get access to the campsite from Thursday, so you can be first there! Standard tickets for all weekend, plus a camping pitch and early access is priced at £80 per child and £225 for adults.

Big Early ticket

The ‘Big Early’ kicks off on the evening of Thursday 22nd August and allows you to arrive early to pitch your tent/caravan and get all settled in, before the festival begins. The campsite doors will be opened between 4pm and 8pm.

The Big Early also provides some light family entertainment in the campsite for you to enjoy, which includes Bedtime Stories with the amazing AJ & Curtis and Tash, Noah, Eli, Walt and Boo Evans (for the little ones), a Silent Disco (for all ages) and host of other fun-filled activities.

There will also be some alternative food and refreshment stands open in the campsite, for those who want to grab a bite to eat.

Glamping

You can also upgrade your stay with a glamping package.

Hotel Bell Tent and Tangerine Fields are providing the glamping accommodation at CarFest 2024, and Perfectly Pitched Camping are providing the pre-pitched tents, ready for you when you arrive.

Their boutique selection of tents will leave you spoilt for choice!

crowd of people

Where do I stay?

To book with Hotel Bell Tent or Tangerine Fields, families must first book a 'weekend with camping' ticket, and then book their glamping accommodation.

There are plenty of reasons to upgrade to glamping!

With Hotel Bell Tent, you'll be greeted on arrival by the team, with bell boys on hand to help with luggage. Parents will then be invited to enjoy a chilled glass of Prosecco.

The whole area is all about luxury, so you can expect power supplies to every tent, a hospitality area, breakfast included, tea and coffee throughout your stay, wifi, showers housed in marquees and pamper stations with big mirrors and hair dryers, an exclusive parking area, night porters and a fully licensed bar.

 You can read more about a Hotel Bell Tent experience at CarFest, and book here.

There's also Perfectly Pitched Camping where families can take the stress out of camping by being welcomed into the world of Perfectly Pitched Camping at CarFest.  

These tents keep things nice and simple; spacious pre-pitched nylon tents or beautiful bell tents ready for you and your friends when you arrive.  

All you have to do is turn up, check-in and start enjoying your weekend.  No lugging of heavy tents around or wrestling with tent poles!

All Perfectly Pitched Camping guests at CarFest must have Weekend Camping ticket.

About CarFest

CarFest was launched in 2012 with the mission of raising funds for UK children's charities.

The well-known festival is the brainchild of radio presenter Chris Evans. Sign up to the CarFest newsletter here, to stay up to date with all announcements.

Which charities will CarFest support in 2024?

All profits from CarFest, including a percentage of the price of each ticket, will be donated to UK children’s charities. 

In 2024, bp pulse presents CarFest will be supporting BBC Children in Need, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, My Black Dog, Rainbow Trust, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Teenage Cancer Trust, Young Epilepsy, and the local Hampshire-based charity Naomi House & Jacksplace. 

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