Fan of vintage cars, racing, and beaches? Then this unique event taking place on the Yorkshire coast is for you, and it’s taking place this summer.
The four-day vintage car event, Race the Waves, is taking place in Bridlington from Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September 2026, with a variety of attractions perfect for a family-friendly day out. Along with the races, you can enjoy a static auto show, containing vintage and classic vehicles, displayed on South Marine Drive.
There is heritage and history behind the event, as beach racing and speed trials have been staged in Yorkshire for hundreds of years. Bridlington and Filey hosted speed trials until 1924, so it’s a great return. Vehicles perform ‘spirited drag-races’ in pairs over a 200-yard course marked in the fresh tidal sand. Motorcycles are often in groups of 4 or 5 as they leave the start line.
The festival is free to attend and is great for automobile enthusiasts and people who like to see beautifully designed items. The event is set to take place taking place on Bridlington South Beach. It’s a fairly new event, first taking place in 2018, and was a huge success, so we are very excited that the event has returned this weekend.
On Friday, there will be lots of vehicles and motorcycles to see on Church Green in Bridlington Old Town. On Saturday, there will be food and drink offerings on South Beach, and the races begin about 11am and will finish about 4pm. The Same again on Sunday, with racing beginning about 12noon and will finish about 4.30pm.
Yorkshire folk love a freebie, and you can be treated to a free spectacle of vintage vehicles racing the waves along South Beach, Bridlington. Started with a chequered flag, you can enjoy the racers, which are influenced by the early UK Motor Speed Trials and the American desert and street drag races, zooming across the beach.
The Vehicles perform ‘spirited drag races’ in pairs over a 200-yard course marked in the fresh tidal sand. Then there are motorcycles, which are often in groups of 4 or 5 as they leave the start line.
Watch highlights from some of last year’s Bridlington ‘Race the Waves’ 2022 below:
You can find out more via the website here.
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Feature Image Credit: Race The Waves
