The Goodwood Revival 2012

I was really lucky to be able to attend The Goodwood Revival this year.  It's the first time that I have ever been but hopefully it will not be the last.

It was AMAZING!  So many vintage cars and vintage people all in one place.  I was transported back in time and it felt wonderful.  If you ever get the opportunity to go make sure you grab it with both hands and scream yes yes yes Meg Ryan style!

My main problems about the whole thing is how to fit in 50.........yes 50...........of the best photos into one blog post, so we will see how we go but it might end up being a 2 parter and the other problem is that I totally missed seeing Ewan McGreagor!! 

The whole place was beautiful.  The cars were out of this world stunning.  So much spit and polish they gleamed.  They are just works of art.  Luckily the RAC were there in true vintage fashion to save them if they broke down.   Hopefully the old timers had breakdown cover!!

I fell in love with the cars over and over again.  So many people bought their pride and joy to share with the world.  And that was just the cars out on the field.  The cars in the racing pits were sublime and hearing them on the race track was such a treat to the ears.  Proper throaty engine roars and so so fast.  I wonder how the drivers have the courage to race such beautiful machines, I would be far too scared to crash and ruin them.

I think what I loved best of all about the whole experience, was how much everyone got involved, from the public, to the concessions, to the venue.  Everything was perfect.  Tesco was there with stickers in the window advertising greenshield stamps and selling Marathons and Opal Fruits (to the rest of the world these are Snickers and Starbursts) with a gang of Vespa's hanging outside.

Kenwood Chef had a cafe and were doing demonstrations every hour.  There were tea sheds periodically placed around the venue, lots of vintage shopping, a vintage fun fair complete with a Helter Skelter and a Wall of Death, vintage salons so that you could have your hair and make up styled in an authentic way, various places to stop and have a bite to eat and drink.....I spied lots of Pimms around the place.

We popped into the Veuve Clicquot tent along the route, drawn in by the live music and the dance floor full of hugely talented people Lindy Hopping.  Just fantastic to watch.....would have been even better with a nice glass of champers darling but at £35 a glass it was a little out of my reach sadly.

We did however end up in the Spitfire Cafe which I loved with all my heart.  A huge canvas tent with bunting hanging from the ceiling.  It was like a mess hall, all long tables and you just had to grab your place.  I had a very yummy giant yorkshire pudding filled with roast potatoes, sausages, veg and gravy and whilst we ate we listed to the vintage planes taking off and flying around.

Later in the day we were given a wonderful show by a Lancaster Bomber and 3 Spitfires.  This is one of only 2 Lancaster Bombers in the world that are in a condition to fly and was a really wonderful sight to see.

I'm going to end now and see how many of my 50 photos I can squeeze in :)

Please please please, if you are a vintage lover and you get the chance to go next year, GO.  You will absolutely love it.  I want to be there all over again right now.

Somewhere in this lot there is Mr Ewan McGreagor.  This pit was so noisy, all the motorbikes were revving their engines warming up for a race.

Wowzers!  I managed to get all the photos I wanted to show you in one post.  If you went to The Goodwood Revival this year I truly hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.  If you didn't, try to go next year you will not regret it I promise.

My goals for next year if I manage to go again.

1.  Source a totally awesome outfit months in advance
2.  Save up some money so I can have my hair and make up done.......or learn how to do this myself.
3.  Travel light
4.  Take even more photos!
5.  Be brave enough to go on the Helter Skelter 

I'd love to hear about your experiences at The Goodwood Revival, leave me a comment, and if you have blogged about it leave you blog title so I can come and have a look.

Chantal x