Scream if you want to go faster! The Classic Car Boot Sale returns to London’s King’s Cross for two days this September (28-29), this time with some extra twists and turns and all the fun of the fair.
Together with the guaranteed and much-loved quality sustainable shopping, this late summer edition includes top notch entertainment and, for the first time, a Family Fun Zone with a mini-Ferris wheel and merry-go-round fairground rides.
To celebrate the centenary of the British-designed MG, there will also be a special display of these much-loved award-winning motors.
Open daily from 10am – 6pm for just £6 in advance and £7 on the day, there are opportunities galore for visitors to hit the ‘shops’ and grab a bargain whilst surrounding themselves with classic cars and soaking up the vintage vibes for this much-anticipated fixture on the London social calendar. Kids under 12 and well-behaved dogs of any age go free!
This is the capital’s largest public fashion event with great people watching opportunities as visitors arrive in their best threads from their favourite decades to shop from over 100 carefully curated vintage and designer second hand sellers. Visitors can also admire all the brilliantly designed classic vehicles, meet friends and enjoy delicious street food and drinks from the Routemaster Bus Bar, while dancing the day away to the live vinyl-spinning DJs.
Now in its 13th glorious year, there is plenty to explore across the three different King’s Cross locations: Granary Square, Lewis Cubitt Square and Coal Drops Yard. Here’s how you can get involved…
What’s on: Granary Square
As always at The Classic Car Boot Sale, visitors can expect a spectacular array of vehicles from the 1920s to the 1990s, as well as quality second-hand goodies, plenty of street food and drink to keep the fun flowing, an incredible range of individual or Car Club-owned rare classic vehicles and custom bicycles and the highly anticipated ride-ins from mods and rockers.
London’s hottest vintage club scene DJ’s and collectives will also be making an appearance, all spinning the sharpest, vinyl floor fillers from the Routemaster bus bar on Granary Square. For the first time we will be joined by Broadcaster/ writer/ singer/ dancer Katie Puckrik, who will be spinning tunes from her recent release, “A Yacht Rock Odyssey”, her lovingly compiled box set of West Coast classics and rarities. She has been an authority on popular culture since hosting Channel 4’s iconic The Word in 1991, since then she has danced with Pet Shop Boys, sung in a Sparks opera and fronted a band of rock legends including Clem Burke and Glen Matlock (Lust For Life).
There’s also the chance to have your hair cut by Douce in its beautiful Airstream Caravan while watching the lively dancing and stylish shopping crowd.
What’s on: Coal Drops Yard
Visitors will enjoy a special display of MGs to celebrate the centenary of British motoring pioneer, William Morris, who in 1924, set out to design a faster car with a sportier look. In 1930, MG released its first model: the 14/28 Super Sports. With a top speed of 65mph the car was a hit and continued to appear in more and more stylish designs both on and off the racetrack. MG’s have become the car of choice for many movies: Elvis Presley used his own MGA in the 1961 film, Blue Hawaii. The car brand has accumulated countless successes, including speed record maker, the best-selling sports car and the best sports car brand in the world.
Charity Super.Mkt
Charity Super.Mkt has so far saved 315,000 items from land fill and made £2.65 million for charities. It will proudly return to the place where it all began in Kings Cross, where shoppers can select the best vintage edit from charities including Shelter, Traid, Havens Hospice plus many more.
Repair Fair
Between midday and 6pm each day, expert ‘upcyclers’ from The Classic Car Boot Sale will be on hand to provide top tips for fixing up a beloved vintage garment, whether it’s been in the back of a wardrobe for a decade or picked up ‘new’ at the event. The repair shop also includes free patchwork and sashiko sewing workshops.
What’s on: Lewis Cubitt Square
For the first time, visitors can enjoy a Family Fun Zone, complete with a vintage Ferris wheel and merry-go-round. These traditional rides will be accompanied by a classic games zone and an extended shopping offer, food and live DJ sets.
New to Lewis Cubit Square will be the ‘Easy Like a Sunday Afternoon’, Loungecore DJ session on Sunday, with relaxed DJ sets from the pioneers Martin Green, fashion designer and singer for Swing Out Sister, Corinne Drewery and broadcaster and founder of Trunk Records, Jonny Trunk.
A replica of The Beatles George Harrison’spsychedelic Mini will be exhibited. He was the biggest petrol head of them all and enjoyed fast cars and was an avid Formula 1 racing fan. Harrison’s highly decorated 1966 Mini Cooper S played a starring role in the Fab Four’s 1967 movie “Magical Mystery Tour”.
Enthusiasts of American vintage cars should make a beeline to see a stunning low rider that is joining us for the first time. An original 1955 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, which has been chopped to lower its roofline. It now rides on air bags and can sit on the floor and will be joined by some other American classics for the perfect photo opportunity.
Wayne Hemingway, founder of HemingwayDesign and co-founder of The Classic Car Boot Sale, said:“In 2011 when we first started The Classic Car Boot Sale, we knew it was a good idea but had no idea it could grow into what many say are the two most look forward to London weekends of the year. The spaces and places of King’s Cross, where we’ve hosted the event since 2015, create such a wonderful location for this event and we can’t wait to see it return this autumn!”
