Cambridge & District Classic Car Club
Ely Classic Car Rally
Each summer, usually on the first Saturday in August, the Cambridge & District Classic Car Club holds its annual Ely Classic Car Rally on the Old Palace Green opposite the west door of Ely Cathedral right in the heart of the city.
ECCR Announcements
Date for the next Cambridge & District Classic Car Club's
Ely Classic Car Rally is:
Saturday 2nd August 2025
Club Members are now invited to apply for Ely 2025.
Application Forms for members are now available to collect in person on Club Nights.
Alternatively, members can now request an electronic version of the Application Form by emailing
Tony Hyde at events@cdccc.org.uk quoting their Membership Number.
We aim to open applications to non-club members around mid-April 2025.
The Application Form will appear on this page at that time.
Taking Part
Participation is open to all classic car owners, whether members of CDCCC or not, in cars first registered prior to the 1st January 2000.
Cars registered after that date will be accepted at the discretion of the Club.
Participants are encouraged to make a voluntary donation to our chosen charity. Details on the Application Form.
Cars are to be on display between 10.00am and 4.00pm and will not be permitted to leave before this time except in an emergency.
ECCR 2024 Review
The 2024 Rally was held at the Old Palace Green, Ely Cathedral on Saturday 3rd August which brought together an eclectic mix of classic vehicles spanning over 90 years of British and international motoring history.
On a pleasant August day, visitor numbers were impressive once again, voting boards were available for both adults and children to choose their favourite car on display, with the Mayor & Mayoress of Ely presenting rosettes to the winners and to the owner of their favourite car of the show, although rumour has it that they did not agree.
2024 Vote Winners
Public Vote: Toyota Mk1 MR2
Children's Vote: The Pink Cadillac
The Mayor & Mayoress' (not) Choice:
Vauxhall Cresta
Club Committee Vote: Morgan 4/4
The event raised vital funding for the Cambridgeshire Search and Rescue (CamSAR) organisation, through participant and public donations together with sales of second-hand jigsaws, CD's and books.
The club would like to thank all vehicle owners and their families for taking part; the City Council and Ely Cathedral for the use of the Palace Green; the Mayor and Mayoress for taking the time to present the winners rosettes; CamSAR for supporting us supporting them; and finally a huge thank you to all the visitors, without whom the show would not have been such a resounding success.
Click here to view more images from the 2024 rally.
History of the Ely Classic Car Rally
In 2015, the CDCCC was given permission to host its first public classic car show, to celebrate the club's 20th anniversary. This has now become an annual event and a key part of our fundraising for our chosen charity. The location at Ely Cathedral on a Saturday means that there is a great engagement with the general public who love to see the cars that they remember from their family history. It is a popular event that is often over subscribed so keep an eye on our website for our next show and application details to join us.
The first rally was held on the Palace Green, opposite the west door of Ely Cathedral, right in the heart of the city. We had such a great response from our members, guests and the public that it became an annual event at this location. Unfortunately in 2020, we were forced to cancel the rally due to COVID restrictions. Each year since however, the rally has gone from strength to strength with nearly 100 vehicles of both British and international marques covering 80 years of automotive history on display. Public admission to the rally itself is completely free and fully accessible to all, attracting large numbers of visitors both local and from further afield.
The Ely Classic Car Rally is our main fundraising event of the year in support of our chosen charity. Funds are raised through participant donations, public donations and sales of second-hand jigsaws, CD's and books.
