The 2026 Festival of the Unexceptional took place last weekend at Grimsthope Castle in Lincolnshire, continuing its unique celebration of everyday classic cars. The event, which began in 2014 and is sponsored by the motor insurance company Hagerty, offers a contrast to traditional high-end car shows that feature luxury brands such as Porsche, Ferrari, Bentley, and Bugatti.

Instead of spotlighting rare or exotic automobiles, the Festival of the Unexceptional focuses on vehicles that were once considered mundane and unremarkable. Attendees eagerly seek out cars like a 30-year-old Skoda pick-up, a Reliant, a Datsun Sunny still largely intact, or a weathered Chrysler Alpine—all models that were widely overlooked or dismissed during their production years.

The competition at the festival culminated in the awarding of the “Concours de l’Ordinaire," an informal prize recognizing the best-preserved or most cherished ordinary car. This year’s winner was a 2001 Volkswagen Polo E base model with 176,000 miles, notable for its neat condition rather than showroom-quality restoration. Other notable runners-up included a Toyota Picnic, a relatively unremarkable people carrier, and a Ford Focus model whose specifics were less memorable to observers—a reflection of the event’s embrace of everyday motoring history.

By celebrating these overlooked vehicles, the Festival of the Unexceptional attracts enthusiasts who appreciate the character and nostalgia of cars that largely escaped the attention of traditional "classic car" enthusiasts. The event’s growing popularity underscores a broader interest in automotive culture that values authenticity and the stories of more ordinary vehicles rather than strictly focusing on prestige or rarity.