2024 Kilbroney Vintage Show :
The Kilbroney Vintage Show returned to Kilbroney Forest Park on 15th June 2024 for another year and it was packed with cars from the early days of motoring right up to what could rather questionably be called vintage.
However, the standard of machinery on display was, as always, superb. With cars spanning the generations and club stands for every generation, Marque and area you could hope for, the selection on display was really rather impressive. The are some absolutely stunning cars tucked away in this country and beyond with plenty of vehicles making the trip from the South and the other side of the Irish Sea. The longest travelled award Officially coming from Scotland, but a little birdie tells me there was at least one other that didn’t wish to be included in that category that had quite the journey.
There were concerns about the weather, with a rough enough night the previous evening the weather forecast didn’t look great with a few days to go, but that is the good thing about coastal weather, it only takes a slight change in wind direction and the forecast becomes a work of fiction. The reality was that it was a bright and sunny day, there was one prolonged shower but once it blew over it was back to bright and sunny. The grounds of the park were also in great condition and even with the rain the previous day and that shower it maintained its integrity and every one was able to get out and home without issue, the tractors did not need to be called into action for a rescue mission for anything!
If you haven’t visited the show you really should add it to your calendar. My advice would be to
- Arrive early and make a good full day of it, there is loads to see and do, just simply walking around the display and having a decent look at what is on show would take a good few hours.
- Don’t leave during the rush, either go a little early or just enjoy the park and let the 5pm – 6pm exit rush calm down.
- Consider bringing your own drinks, picnic or snacks. The food is expensive.
There are activities for the kids, they will be costly and loads of food options. They are really costly. Belfast Continental Market sort of prices. I had a ‘Gourmet’ Burger, it was delicious, but it was also £9. That’s pretty expensive for a car show burger! The Northern IReland Fire and Rescue Service also put on a few demonstrations throughout the day and they are well worth a watch to.
The absolute stars of the show though are the Vintage vehicles. The meticulous attention to detail in the maintenance and preparation is an absolute credit to their owners.
I do not envy the decisions to be made by the shows Organisers on who wins what as there is simply so much quality to choose from.
This year the awards went to :
