Australia’s answer to the Goodwood Festival of Speed is set to run for the third time in early 2026, but has shifted dates compared to this year's event.
The dates for the 2026 Canberra Festival of Speed have been locked in.
The third running of the annual event will take place on the weekend of Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1, 2026.
While the 2025 event took place over the Australia Day long weekend, in 2026 the Canberra Festival of Speed will be held one week after the long weekend.
Along with rarely-seen exotic vehicles, supercars, and motorsport icons, the 2026 festival will grow to include rare and exotic motorcycles for the first time.
“We are thrilled to be returning for a third running of the Canberra Festival of Speed after so much positive feedback in year two,” Canberra Festival of Speed Director Martin Tanti said in a statement.
“We have been working really hard behind the scenes to secure some of the world’s rarest vehicles, and I can’t wait to announce them.”
Over its short lifetime, the festival has grown from over 13,000 attendees in 2024 to over 16,000 in 2025.
Starting with 149 cars in 2024, this year's event saw 250 entrants participate. Organisers have said they’re looking to grow that number by around 20 per cent this year.
As a major tourist drawcard for the area, organisers reported that 49 per cent of attendees in 2025 travelled from interstate to attend.
The 2026 event will look to build its audience further still, with organisers touting the family-friendly nature of the event, with ease of accessibility and kids activities as part of the attraction.
Organised by Project Supercars and the Canberra Racing Club, the 2026 Canberra Festival of Speed will be held at Thoroughbred Park in Lyneham, ACT.
Earlybird tickets to the 2026 event go on sale on Tuesday, August 12 2025 with pricing info and purchasing details to go live on the Festival of Speed website.
Ticketing options will include weekend passes or single-day access for either the Saturday or Sunday.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
