Champagne British Car Festival 2024 Celebrates its 33rd year in Central Illinois!

The Illinois Flat Land British Car Club Planning Committee met at Culver’s in Bloomington on Wednesday, January 10th, to begin finalizing plans for the Champagne British Car Festival (CBCF).  The CBCF will be held during the weekend of May 31 to June 2, 2024.  All Aston Martin and Austin-Healey cars will get the Featured Marque spotlight this year.

The 2024 CBCF planners are working hard to include many of the familiar weekend features while adding a variety of new and exciting venues, drives and activities.

We’ll be keeping the popular Friday evening Welcome Reception & Event Packet Pickup sponsored by the Illinois Flat Land British Car Club (IFLBCC) at The Chateau Hotel and Conference Center.  Pre-Registered entrants will have the opportunity to pick up their weekend information packet and stay for our British Pub Mixer.  Along with the cash bar, we’ll be providing a variety of pizzas and snacks to enjoy as you renew old friendships and make new ones.  We’ll have lots of group parking outside the Conference Center where an impromptu car show is sure to develop.

The fun continues Saturday morning, June 1, 2024 at our first-time ever venue, the Davis Lodge at Lake Bloomington, Hudson, IL.  This beautiful City of Bloomington owned lodge will be the hub for all of Saturday’s activities, until Saturday evening’s banquet at the Chateau Conference Center.  

Saturday morning activities will begin with a Cars & Coffee at Davis Lodge.  The site of the lodge overlooks the widest expanse of Lake Bloomington and makes for a beautiful backdrop our classic cars.  We plan on providing some morning refreshments for early-bird attendees. The two separate screened rooms and a large patio overlooking Lake Bloomington are perfect for enjoying a morning beverage.

Our Planning Committee is working on our first-ever CBCF Scavenger Hunt and other Special Activities that will all start and end at Lake Bloomington’s Davis lodge.  The planned Scavenger Hunt will take advantage of the area’s lake roads, small town sights and area restaurants. 

Last year’s event survey suggested that many would enjoy a Boot Sale/Swap Meet.  The Davis Lodge will be an excellent venue for that, once the Scavenger Hunter’s are back from their drive. Watch the What’s New? section of the www.IFLBCC.club  website for more details.

Saturday’s activities will be capped off with our traditional CBCF Banquet.  The sit-down banquet will again be held in the renovated Chateau Hotel and Conference Center’s ballroom.  We’ll have designated parking to display our cars and provide lots of opportunities for mixing with fellow enthusiasts before dinner.  Our Planning Committee is also exploring the possibility of holding a Silent Auction throughout the evening. More on that later.

The weekend culminates on Sunday June 2, 2024 with the British Car Show on beautiful Clover Lawn of David Davis Mansion, Bloomington, IL.  The David Davis Mansion provides a wonderful backdrop to display over 150 British cars at this popular annual event, organized by members of the Illinois Flat Land British Car Club. ALL Aston Martin and Austin-Healey cars are Featured Marques at this year’s Festival.

The Festival includes music, vendors, food and beverage options, tables and chairs to enjoy your meal and drinks.  Once again, Redbird Catering will be adding a British favorite, Fish & Chips, to their typical menu. Gramma Nanna’s will also be on hand with delicious cookies, ice cream, shakes and floats.

The car show is open to the public from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and holds its awards ceremony at 2:30 PM on Sunday, June 2nd, 2024. 

All registered vehicles will be entered into one of +/- 25 marque-specific classes.  Voting will be a “Popular Vote” by registered participants. The total number of Class awards will be based on the number of cars pre-registered.

Additional details will be announced on the www.IFLBCC.club  after February 1, 2024.

Champagne British Car Festival Set for June 2nd At David Davis Mansion State Historic Site

BLOOMINGTON, IL (JUNE 2024) – The Illinois Flatland British Car Club (IFLBCC.club) has announced its 33rd annual Champagne British Car Festival car show to be held on Sunday, June 2, 2024 at the David Davis Mansion.

The Champagne British Car Festival (CBCF) is an annual charitable event which is open to any and all British cars and motorcycles.  This year, the show organizers anticipate a record setting number of cars and bikes to be on display.  The show is open to the public from 10:00am to 2:00pm, at the historic David Davis Mansion, Bloomington, IL (daviddavismansion.org). Admission to the car show is free but donations are encouraged and benefit the David Davis Mansion Foundation

This is a wonderful opportunity to view classic British cars representing over 60 years of British motoring history. Come join over 150 classic British Cars and their owners for a day of unparalleled British automotive history. You can expect to see such great British cars of yesteryear as Aston Martin, Austin-Healy, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, MG, Morgan, Triumph, Mini,  and more. The featured marque for 2024 will be All Aston Martin and Austin-Healey cars.

Come join us for great family fun. The Festival includes music, vendors, food and beverage options, tables and chairs to enjoy your meal and drinks.  Once again, Redbird Catering will be adding a British favorite, Fish & Chips, to their typical menu. Gramma Nanna’s will also be on hand with delicious cookies, ice cream, shakes and floats.

The David Davis Mansion State Historic Site (1000 Monroe Drive in Bloomington) was built in 1872 by David Davis, a political ally of Abraham Lincoln and a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. All entrance donations will benefit the David Davis Mansion Foundation.

The site is operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. IDNR protects the state’s historic resources, which contribute to education, culture and the economy. IDNR sites include ancient burial grounds, forts and buildings erected by settlers, and homes connected to famous Illinoisans.

The David Davis Mansion Foundation is a not-for-profit organization supporting education, preservation and acquisition programs for the David Davis Mansion.

Further information may be found at http://www.cbcf-bloomington.com