Great Yarmouth’s Wheels Festival roars in bigger and bolder than ever

 

• More than 70,000 people are expected to enjoy Great Yarmouth’s Wheels Festival on June 20-21.

• Non-stop action by world-class headliners will wow crowds, including new for 2026 signing, the UK’s biggest Monster Truck, Big Pete, and sidekick The Grim Reaper, and returning crowd favourites, the UK’s number one freestyle motocross stunt team Bolddog Lings FMX, the Ken Fox Riders Wall of Death and BMX stunt wizards BMXTRAS.

• A massive 1.5km line-up of cars, trucks and motorcycles – from lovingly-restored classics to souped up novelty vehicles, American cars, and emergency vehicles – will fill the seafront.

• The free two-day Wheels Festival injects millions of pounds into the Great Yarmouth economy – more than £3.5 million last year, creating or sustaining the equivalent of more than 51 jobs.

 

Fast, free and fun – the mega two-day extravaganza of all-things wheels is revving up to take over Great Yarmouth’s seafront again this month attracting tens of thousands of visitors.

The mighty Wheels Festival returns with a full throttle line-up of world-class acts performing jaw dropping stunts and a seafront-long display of hundreds of cars from classic to weird and whacky, souped-up trucks, customised bikes on June 20-21.

With crowds expected to top last year’s 70,000, organiser Visit Great Yarmouth is serving up a high-octane programme of guaranteed end-to-end family entertainment along Marine Parade.

The free to attend festival delivers a welcome spending spike for seafront businesses, with a ‘ripple effect’ economic boost for Great Yarmouth. Last year’s event generated £57 for the local economy for every £1 invested in the event, totalling £3.5 million.

Car and bike club bookings, ranging from classic and sport to quirky creations, are topping last year to create a 1.5km display of vehicles, superbikes, trucks and emergency and military vehicles, this year organised into four zones.

New for 2026, is UK’s biggest monster truck, Big Pete, with racing rival team mate The Grim Reaper, who will bring their trail of destruction to St Nicholas car park throughout both days.

Standing 16ft tall and 12 ft wide weighing 7.5 tonnes, Big Pete leaves crowds speechless by ‘jumping’ off the ground, ripping cars in half and crushing them.

Big Pete is the only monster truck in the world with a driver who commentates throughout the show.

Crowd favourite Bolddog Lings FMX, the UK’s number one freestyle motocross stunt team, returns this year to St Nicholas car par. Honda’s official motorcycle display team wows audiences with jaw-dropping airborne twists, turns and tricks on the world’s first mobile landing system, where they perform their famous Superman Seat Grab, Indian Air and Kiss of Death stunts,  ‘flying’ out of their seats with no hands while rotating in the air.

Team leader Dan Whitby delivers on-board commentary throughout the 30-minute daredevil show– even while flying through the air, flipping in seemingly impossible feats of skill and courage.

More death-defying stunts on two wheels will be served up by the Ken Fox Hell Riders on their 20ft vertical Wall of Death in 30-minute shows at the Jetty car park.

Billed as “it has to be seen to be believed,” the Fox family has stunned audiences for the last 100 years with their stunts on vintage Indian Scout motorcycles scaling the top of the wall.

At the Marina car park, BMX wizards the BMXtras

will add a new dimension to their show this year by offering ‘have a go’ BMX workshops throughout the weekend. Try out the sport between their high energy 25-minute shows taught by the experts.

The professional BMX and scooter stunt team boasts some of the UK’s top riders and the adrenaline precision and excitement they bring were a hit with the Great Yarmouth crowds last year, returning this year with jump box shows, air bag landings, mini kicker performances.

The team’s experience spans international events to top-tier film productions and live television shows.

Nathan Race, Visit Great Yarmouth chair, said: “The Wheels Festival is a highlight of Great Yarmouth’s calendar. The event gets better and better year on year, with world-class entertainment attracting bigger audiences, and an opportunity to witness the love, care and time individuals put into restoring beautiful vehicles and meet these owners.

“The festival’s mix of spectacle and fun really puts Great Yarmouth on the map for delivering an outstanding free to attend event with incredible entertainment.

 

“As well as creating a huge buzz along the entire seafront, the event brings added custom to our wonderful seafront businesses.”

Asa Morrison, CEO of Visit Great Yarmouth, said: “We are bringing together a wide range of cars, bikes, motorsport, and auto- culture with exciting spectacle, nostalgia, and family-friendly entertainment – and it’s all free to attend on Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile.

“It’s designed to entertain families and visitors alike. Wheels 2026 delivers something to ignite every passion.

“As well as the high octane shows, Wheels offers two full days of classic and vintage vehicle, supercars and performance machines, custom builds, hot rods, and modified cars and motorbikes.

“Last year, nearly 70,000 people enjoyed the two days, 10,000 more than in 2024 when Wheels attracted 60,000 and 20,000 more than in 2023.

“Every year, we aim to make the programme bigger and better, drawing in visitors and locals to enjoy the event and the seafront and the diversity of seafront businesses.

“It is an important event to support our local businesses, cafes, arcades, attractions and shops, which all benefit from this fantastic footfall.

“Tourism and visitor economy brings in almost £700 million to the local economy every year. Visit Great Yarmouth’s main purpose is to attract people to the Great Yarmouth area and the Wheels Festival plays a big part.”

Vehicles in the 1.5km-plus vehicle line-up will travel from clubs in London, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, Cambridge and Lincolnshire and feature everything from American classics and souped-up saloon to British icons and all bells-and-whistles bikes.

Along the seafront will be pop-up stalls, attractions, and entertainment, all adding to the atmosphere.

This year, winners of the Best in Show, Best Club and Club Stars will be displayed on a platform at the Jetty by the Big Wheel after judging on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Marine Parade will be closed to non-event traffic throughout.

Wheels Festival will run from 10am until 6pm on Saturday and 10am until 4pm on Sunday. For the full events and display schedule and more information visit: https://www.visitgreatyarmouth.co.uk/whats-on/festivals-and-major-events/great-yarmouth-wheels-festival

As well as a large number of individual vehicles being in attendance, car clubs taking part include: Norfolk & Suffolk Subaru Club (NSSC), Most Wanted Modified, Airheads, East Anglia Ford Owners Club, Essex  Petrolheads, East Coast Pirates Car Club, Car-azy, Fenland Cruisers, Suffolk Modified, Golf GTI UK, Squad Automotive, South Lincolnshire Mini Owners Club, Pistontech Car Club, Australian Origins, Suffolk Modified, Ink and Engines and Joyland Snail Cruisers

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