Happy birthday Ford Fiesta

The 40th anniversary of the Ford Fiesta is to be celebrated in style as part of a new event taking place in Brighton this summer.

The UK’s most popular hatchback will headline the Ford Summer Festival at Brighton Racecourse on July 16.

Organised by the team behind Fast Ford, Classic Ford, Fast Car and Retro Cars magazines, the event will start with a traditional ‘London to Brighton’ run.

Many of the cars on the run will start their journey, just as they did at the very beginning of their lives, at the Ford plant at Dagenham, on the Essex/London border.

Heading up the convoy will be a special selection of 40 Ford Fiestas, from the very first to the very last, including some rare performance models.

The run will be backed by Ford itself, which will be entering a fleet of its own heritage Fiestas in the drive down to the south coast.

“For the Fiesta’s birthday, we wanted something that was a bit more than a traditional car show,” said event manager Katherine Chappell.

“We wanted an event with a proper party atmosphere, and coming to Brighton gives us just that.

“This is a festival, not just a car show, and we fully expect Ford fans to make a full weekend out of it.”

As well as the run, the event will feature Ford displays, a retail area and a live entertainment stage, with a selection of acts throughout the day and well into the evening, including up-and-coming local bands. Overnight camping will be available and is included within the ticket cost for all those taking part in the run, helping to keep the festival atmosphere going as the sun goes down.

To buy tickets, take part in the run or find out more about the Festival, visit http://www.fordsummerfestival.co.uk/