The Vancouver All British Field Meet classic car show takes place on the grounds of VanDusen Botanical Garden on the Saturday of the May Long Weekend.
In 2018 the event is on Saturday May 19th.
British Classic Car Show
The All British Field Meet (ABFM) is a fabulous event for people of all ages, especially if you love vintage British vehicles, classic sports cars and/or botanical gardens.
About the British Car Show
The car show takes place on the Saturday of the May Long Day Long Weekend every year at VanDusen Botanical Garden, and so in 2019 it happens on May 19th. It’s an impressive event featuring literally hundreds of British cars and motorbikes.
On display each year there are antique Rolls Royces, pre-war motorcycles, and the latest Jaguars, Aston Martins and Land Rovers, as well as a wide range of vintage classics of various other models.
At the event there are also food trucks, motor parts vendors, the current year’s vehicles from local dealerships and live entertainment, all of which make the long weekend Saturday an amazing day to be at VanDusen Garden.
With five dozen different classes of vehicles on display, close to 500 cars in total and some 5000 car fanatics expected, the All British Field Meet is the largest classic car show of its kind in Western Canada.
2018 SPECIAL FEATURED VEHICLES
At the All British Field Meet in 2018 an Austin-Healey Frogeye (a.k.a. Bugeye Sprite) will be on site. The vehicle celebrates its 60th year as one of the most loved British sports cars of all time. Another special vehicle to look out for will be a Jaguar XK120.
Also at the event this year will be the customized “Grizzly Torque” Land Rover that Canadian artist Robert Bateman drove tens of kilometres across Africa in during the 1950s. The vehicle was also famously used by Bateman at that time as a painting canvas!
Admission to the ABFM Car Show
The Vancouver All British Field Meet takes place at VanDusen Garden at 5251 Oak Street on the Saturday of the May Long Weekend from 10 am to 4:30 pm.
Ticket prices for the public after May 10th in 2018 are the following (plus a small online fee):
- Adults (ages 19-64) – $18
- Seniors (ages 65+) – $15
- Youth (ages 13-18) – $14
- Children (ages 3-12) – $8
- Families (2 adults plus children under age 19) – $42
- Children under 3 years of age are free
Included with the cost of admission in 2018 is a chance to win a trip for two to Great Britain. Other prizes this year include a new set of tires, a $200 gas card and a gift basket.
For tickets click ABFM 2018.
Tips and Advice
Below are some suggestions on how to make the most out of your experience at the All British Field Meet.
TIP #1: Buy your tickets online and skip the early morning lineups. It’ll be worth waiting in line to get into this very popular event, but you’ll be even happier if you can bypass the queue.
Especially if you plan to get there towards the start of the day and it’s a sunny day, it’ll also be worth paying the extra little processing fee for the convenience.
TIP #2: Tickets are available on the day at the gate. They will be the same as the above listed non-early bird prices, minus the couple of dollars in online fees.
Other Information
For more information about the car show, visit the event’s official website at WesternDriver.com. And for tickets, click ABFM 2018.
For information about the gardens, see VanDusen Botanical Garden.
If you enjoy car shows like this, other Lower Mainland events you might be interested in at other times of the year include the following:
- Vancouver International Auto Show – a major modern car show at the Vancouver Convention Centre in March.
- Easter Vintage Car Rally – a gathering of over 70 vintage cars on Easter Sunday (which takes place each year in either March or April). In past years it took place in the parking lot of the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. In 2018, however, it took place at the Trev Deeley on Boundary Road.
- All-British Vancouver-Whistler Run – a continuation of the above ABFM car show at VanDusen Garden on the May Long Weekend, but up at Whistler in the Olympic Plaza the following afternoon on the Sunday.
- Lakeside Car Show – a free car show at Harrison Hot Springs in mid-August.
Vroom! Vroom!
