This weekend's Coventry's MotoFest postponed in the wake of the Queen's death

The annual motoring extravaganza was set to take place this weekend



Coventry's MotoFest, which was due to take place this weekend, has been postponed following the death of the Queen. The organisers of the annual motoring extravaganza announced the postponement this morning.

A spokesman for the event, which would have seen tens of thousands of people descend on Coventry to see everything from high octane motorsport demonstration events on the Coventry ring road to classic car displays, said the postponement was in line with royal protocols regarding the death of a monarch.

They added that all supporting events around the annual motoring festival, which effectively takes over the entire city centre, would also be postponed. A rearranged date is set to be announced in due course.

The MotoFest spokesman said: "MotoFest, would like to express how deeply saddened we are at the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Our thoughts are with the King and the Royal Family at this time.

"Following consultation with our event partners Coventry City Council and E.ON Drive, we have agreed, in line with protocols regarding the death of a monarch, to postpone this weekend’s MotoFest festival. The postponement will extend to all supporting events set to be staged as part of the MotoFest weekend.

"We would like to thank all our sponsors, partners, supporters and the general public for all their continued support and understanding. There will be further updates in due course regarding future dates for the event."

MotoFest Coventry: New festival dates set for 2023



A motoring festival that was postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II will return in 2023.

MotoFest in Coventry will return on 3-4 June 2023 after it was cancelled in September.

Organisers of the event will formally announce the new dates later at a MotoFest event at Millennium Place, outside the Coventry Transport Museum.

James Noble, festival director, said they could not host it this year due to the winter weather not being suitable.

"The next available opportunity to stage any form of event in 2022 would have been in the winter months, where the strong possibility of adverse weather conditions would not have been conducive to safe, dynamic MotoFest event activities," Mr Noble said.

The director said a six-month application period for their motorsport licence and the need for road closures would have taken them way beyond September.

However, the extra time has allowed the festival to have a "significant future technology focus," with a showcase of the latest alternatively fuelled vehicles, electric cars and advanced automotive technology.

Abdul Salam Khan, cabinet member for events at Coventry City Council, said: "I know it is a highlight of the city's annual events calendar that attracts both local residents and visitors from further afield."

The festival will also have a "past, present and future" theme. Displays will include traditional classic cars as well as modern modified static cars and will be held across the city centre.

Thousands of people were expected to attend this year's festival, with a series of roads closed around the city.

MotoFest 2023 will see the return of the unique Sprint Circuit, carved out of the city centre ring road, and two new performance motorsport and drift arenas, due to have been launched at the 2022 festival.