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Retro Rendezvous 2026
Ulverston town centre
In 2026, we’ll be back for a great retro weekend in Ulverston town centre. On Saturday 30th May, we’ll have vintage cars and motorcycles on display on the cobbles. On Sunday 31st May, we’ll be hosting the start and finish of the famous Velo Retro cycling festival.
On both days, there will be live bands playing in The Sun beer garden, and the festival will be supported by a fine set of specialist market traders.
Ulverston is renowned for its range of independent shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants, plus an independent cinema, the UK’s only Laurel & Hardy Museum, the Manjushri Buddhist centre, and Swarthmoor Hall – the birthplace of Quakerism.
Retro Rendezvous 30th & 31st May 2026
Based in the centre of the brilliant old market town of Ulverston, Retro Rendezvous is a full weekend of fabulous retro fun. Music, food, dance, clothes, markets, scooters, motorcycles, drink and the famous Velo Retro old school cycling events through the Lake District. It’s about as much fun as you can have with your retro clothes on! Entry to the festival for most events is free of charge. So put it in the diary and get ready for one of the great weekends of the summer.
Car and Motorcycle Exhibitors
The regular Westmorland & Furness Saturday market traders (Key Bar, etc) will be present outside The Sun/Tesco in Market Street as usual on Saturday, and are being managed directly by Allan of the the Westmorland & Furness Council markets team.
Vehicle exhibits will be centred around Market Place, and on the roadside down towards New Market Street, on the Pure/Gather side of the road. Please note that only a small number of vintage car exhibitor applications have been accepted, due to the very limited space available. Please enter and exit via the War Memorial end of the road. Please arrive by 10am, and please don’t leave whilst the market is in operation.
Motorcycle exhibits will be in the Market Street “narrows”, between New Market Street and Brogden Street. Many thanks to John Thomason who will be organising the motorcycles. Please enter/exit with motorcycles via the Brogden Street end, and make allowances for shopkeepers to display their goods on the pavements.
Car and motorcycle exhibits are on Saturday only. Market Street will be used on Sunday for the Velo Retro cycling event, and for a scooter meet.
2026 applications
Register your interest as a market trader, vintage vehicle exhibitor, or performer. Request a festival trading space in New Market Street for Saturday and Sunday. Trading is limited to what we can fit into the space available, so we may unfortunately have to decline some applications. Anyone can apply, and priority will be given to local businesses selling vintage products, and traders who supported us in 2025. You can also register to exhibit your classic car or motorcycle on the Market Street cobbles on Saturday. Please note that this year the vintage vehicle displays will be on Saturday only.
The 2026 applications process will open in December 2025, and will be announced via the email newsletter.
Velo Retro
The Friendly Festival
À L’ancienne, Le Loafeur, and The Mighty Corinthian. Three vintage cycling events within the Lake District World Heritage Site, organised by Sportive Lakes, all taking place during the Retro Rendezvous festival weekend.
À L’ancienne is our classic, 84km retro bike challenge. It’s hard enough to feel like a real day out but easy enough to be tackled by any reasonably fit cyclist. Along the way, you’ll take in Coniston Water, Windermere, Esthwaite Water, Wray Castle and more wonderful scenery than you’ll see in the average year! Not enough? You even have the option of a final ride up the track to the Sir John Barrow Monument, before returning home.
Le Loafeur, does what it says on the tin! It meanders around the beautiful Coniston Water on a 47km loop, which is about as easy as we can make it in this part of the world. As always, there’s a magical food stop featuring huge slices of cake in a fabulous setting. It’s all about fun, friendship and a fabulous, shared experience.
The Mighty Corinthian is a replica one day classic from back in the day. Big distances, lots of climbing, spectacular locations – all ridden on vintage steel bicycles in period kit! The only difference is that you’ll receive the famous Sportive Lakes support and you’ll be really well fed! So, fish out the Sean Kelly outfit, polish up the old Raleigh and let’s go!
Visit veloretro.co.uk for more information about the cycling events.
Thank you to our magnificent supporters
We are extremely grateful to Ulverston BID, Oxley Group, Westmorland & Furness Council, The Sun Inn, Ulverston Town Council, and CGP books for supporting the festival.
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