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Retro Rendezvous 2025

Ulverston town centre

In 2025, we’ll be back in Ulverston town centre. We’ll have live music and retro market stalls on both days. On Saturday 31st May, we’ll have vintage cars and motorcycles on display on the cobbles. On Sunday 1st June, we’ll be hosting the start and finish of the famous Velo Retro cycling festival.

Cycle in New Market St

Retro Rendezvous 31st May & 1st June 2025

Retro Rendezvous Ulverston

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.

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2025 applications Open at Christmas time

Register your interest as an exhibitor or performer. Request a festival trading space in New Market Street for Saturday and Sunday. Festival trading spaces are limited to what we can fit into the limited 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 2024. You can also register to exhibit your classic car or motorcycle on the Market Street cobbles on Saturday.

The Friendly Festival
"Retro Rendezvous Festival delivers a finely tuned blend of live music, vintage vehicle displays, artisan food & drink, specialist stalls, and stunning retro cycling experiences. It has a well-deserved reputation as 'The Friendly Festival'."
2024

Velo Retro

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 Town Council, Ulverston BID, CGP and The Sun for supporting the festival.

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Retro Rendezvous Ulverston