Goodwood Revival guide: Here’s what to see and do at the fastest fancy-dress party on Earth

Handbags, gladrags and oily rags

The Goodwood Revival, sometimes dubbed the fastest fancy-dress party on earth, takes place at the Duke of Richmond’s West Sussex estate and racing circuit from September 16-18, 2022.

As well as presenting a dazzling array of period fashions (guests are encouraged to dress up in 1950s and 1960s attire), the Revival will see some outstanding classic car and motorcycle racing with everything from Minis and MGBs to multimillion-pound Ferraris, Jaguars and Aston Martins being hurled around the track just as they were back in the day.

There’ll be plenty of famous names from the field of motor racing in attendance including Jenson Button, returning for only his second year at the event, and regulars including former F1 drivers Jackie Stewart and Damon Hill (below), nine-times Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, and celebrity drivers such as comedy actor and well-known petrolhead Rowan Atkinson.

What races are taking place?

Spread over the course of the three days, some of the highlights of the weekend include the following races, though the full running order and schedule have yet to be confirmed and more races will be added to the calendar.

Freddie March Memorial Trophy

To celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the first running of the 9 Hours of Goodwood endurance race, the Freddie March Memorial Trophy, a mainstay of the festival, will see late forties and early fifties sports cars including Jaguar C-Types, Aston Martins, Ferraris and Maseratis battling with the setting sun as much as each other.

Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy

One for 1960s Grand Prix motorcycles that will see Manx Nortons dicing with MV Agustas among others.

Glover Trophy

This one features Formula One cars from the 1960s taking to the track, so expect machinery from Lotus, Cooper, BRM, Lola and Ferrari.

Stirling Moss Memorial Trophy

This relatively recent addition to the programme is open to 1950s and ’60s GT cars, so expect Ferrari 250 SWBs, Austin-Healeys and other assorted grand tourers such as AC Cobras and Jaguar E-Types.

St. Mary’s Trophy

It’s the old British Saloon Car Championship revived, and it’s usually one of the highlights of the Revival. The St. Mary’s Trophy will this year host late-sixties saloon cars including Minis, Lotus Cortinas and Alfa GTAs in the hands of famous drivers from the fields of touring car racing and F1. Always a highlight.

Whitsun Trophy

Very loud, very fast and very expensive, the Whitsun Trophy features pre-’66 racing prototypes such as Ford GT40s, Lola T70s and McLaren M1s out on track.

Lavant Cup

The Lavant Cup is a one-make race at the Revival each year featuring a different line-up of closely-matched cars. This year, to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of Britain’s best-loved sports car, the grid will feature a line-up of 30 MGBs “in a near-constant state of drift” according to the organisers.

Richmond & Gordon Trophies

Combined into one for 2022, the race for pre-1960 Grand Prix cars sees pricey machinery from Maserati, Ferrari, Lotus, Cooper and BRM go wheel to wheel in a celebration of an era that saw the birth of F1 and the dawn of rear-engined Grand Prix racing.

RAC TT Celebration

One of the Goodwood Revival’s headline events sees closed-cockpit GT cars being driven at highly-alarming speeds considering their values. The race features Ferrari 250 GTOs, lightweight E-Types, Aston Martin DB4 GTs and Le Mans AC Cobras being raced just as hard as they were back in their heyday.

Sussex Trophy

Some of the most beautiful cars ever mad, built for sportscar racing between 1955 and1960, the Sussex Trophy brings an end to proceedings at the Revival as the sun sets behind Goodwood. The gorgeous little Ferrari 246S Dino fights more powerful (but heavier) Jaguar D-Types alongside Lotus 15s and Lister Knobblys. Don’t leave early and miss it.

Settrington Cup

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary, the shortest race (for the shortest people) is probably the most hard-fought and competitive of the whole Revival and sees a couple of dozen kids taking to the main straight in Austin J40 pedal cars. We suspect the parents might be even more competitive than the racers.

Other than racing, what are the Goodwood Revival highlights?

Attendees could probably experience a perfectly enjoyable weekend at the Goodwood Revival without even setting eyes on a racing car.

Funfair and music

There are an enormous number of side events taking place, most of them “over the road”, across the bridge from the track, with something there for everyone including a fairground, roller rink and classic cinema screenings. Bring dancing shoes as there are stages with live big band and swing music for those who like to jive and jitterbug, both within the circuit and around the funfair.

Revive and Thrive Village

This is a new area to the event this year, staging a celebration of all things vintage and second-hand. The Revive and Thrive Village will be home to a series of talks, presentations, workshops and demonstrations on vintage fashion, very much in keeping with the Revival’s ethos of sustainability through preservation, following on from the success of last year’s high-end car boot sale.

Revival Car Show

Many attendees will drive to Goodwood in their own classics, so the Revival Car Show provides complimentary parking to those showing up in a “pre-’66 or tax exempt” car.

Across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, thousands of models will line up for static display, though be sure to book as soon as possible as many use the car show as an opportunity to park for the day.

Freddie March Spirit of Aviation

This is a Concours D’Elegance event for pre-’66 aircraft. The air event will take place at Goodwood Aerodrome and give visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with classic aeroplanes. Helicopter and plane flights will also be available.

Bonham’s Goodwood Revival sale

The Bonham’s auction will see all manner of classics and high-end cars as well as an extensive selection of automobilia go under the hammer.

Some of the highlights on the block this year include the works Aston Martin DB3 that won the 1952 9 Hours of Goodwood race, an ex-Sir Henry Segrave 1922 Sunbeam Grand Prix racer and a rare 1965 MG prototype.

Entry is via invite or to those who have bought an auction catalogue, while the auction preview takes place on Friday. The auction proper starts from 1pm on Saturday.

Goodwood Revival dress code

Period dress from 1948 to 1966 is encouraged, so anything along the lines of a WWII-era armed forces outfit, Teddy Boy get-up or simple Tweed suit and hat or flat cap won’t look out of place on men.

For women, a Land Girl outfit, mini skirt combo or 1950s dress will work. But being creative earns extra points, and there’s usually a newspaper photographer or two there taking photos of the best-dressed visitors.

Turn up in modern clothes and you’ll stand out, and it rather spoils the ambience.

How much are tickets?

Both the three-day pass and general admission tickets for Saturday are all sold out.

Single-day admission for Sunday starts from £84, with under-12s admitted free, though be quick as tickets are in short supply.

Grandstand tickets are still available for Saturday and Sunday from £75.

There’s not a huge amount of racing happening on Friday beyond the Freddie March Memorial Trophy, though activities “over the road” should be getting into their stride that evening, so it’ll still be fun if you can’t get there any other day. General admission tickets for Friday start from £64, again with under-12s going free.

Click here to see the available Goodwood Revival tickets.

What’s the best day to go?

Sunday tends to feature the blue riband events such as the RAC TT Celebration. That’s not to say that Saturday isn’t equally exciting, with events such as John Whitmore Trophy with its racing Mini Coopers (almost certain to return this year as it’s spectacularly good fun) another big highlight.

Saturday also features the Bonham’s Auction, which can be just as much of a spectator sport, though there are both sideshows “over the road” and cars on track on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Where is the Goodwood Revival?

The Revival takes place at Goodwood Motor Circuit, just down the road from the Duke of Richmond’s house in West Sussex. It’s located just outside Chichester, around 60 miles from London.

How do I get to Goodwood without driving?

For those not keen to contend with traffic queues and parking, trains run regularly from London Victoria to nearby Chichester, though there are services too from Brighton and Portsmouth.

From Chichester station, a Stagecoach bus runs from the station to the racing circuit between 7am and 11pm each day, with tickets available on board.

Some people take taxis, either from Chichester station or from home. If you wish to do so, the drop off and pick up point is the entrance to car park D, on Kennel Hill near to the New Road roundabout.

What are the opening times?

Music, dancing and other activities begin “over the road” at 4pm on Thursday, finishing at 10pm.

For the rest of the Revival, gates open at 7.30am, and everything shuts down by 10pm, apart from Sunday when events “over the road” finish at 9.30pm.

Car parks (free) open from 7am.

If you’re interested in the Goodwood Revival, take a look at our guide to the 2022 Silverstone Classic
You might like to check out everything that happened at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed
Here are the fastest five hillclimb cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Keyword: Goodwood Revival guide: Here’s what to see and do at the fastest fancy-dress party on Earth