The one-off village car festival that snowballed in size

An Audlem Festival of Transport in Cheshire has grown far beyond its original goal of a one-off village gathering, expanding as participation increased. Organisers say the event began with just a few dozen vehicles and is now staged on the playing field in Audlem, attracting hundreds of vehicles and thousands of visitors. Twenty-seven years later, the entry list opens in January and surpasses 300 vehicles by April, though organisers limit participation due to the field’s capacity. The festival starts Sunday morning with a procession from nearby Hankelow through Audlem, a route organisers believe is central to its popularity as spectators line the streets. This year’s entries range from cars dating to the 1920s through the 2000s, along with commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and historic boats on the Shropshire Union canal. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is scheduled to fly past in the afternoon.