By C. Perera, JadeTimes News
Hundreds of classic cars, alongside vintage fashion and live music, transformed the city center during the annual 'Gloucester Goes Retro' event. Now in its ninth year, the festival showcased vehicles from the early 1900s to the 1990s, an antiques fair, a military village, and a best dressed competition.
Councillor Caroline Courtney, cabinet member for culture and leisure at Gloucester City Council, described the event as "one of the highlights of our city’s year." Organized and funded by the city council in partnership with the Gloucester Business Improvement District, the festival attracted many vintage fashion enthusiasts despite the rainy weather. Among them was Rachel, an avid fan of polka dots, who expressed her love for dressing up in retro clothing. Stacey Hindon Granlund, another attendee, shared that her vintage style outfits are part of her everyday wardrobe, adding that it only takes her half an hour to get ready after 20 years of practice.
First time visitors Nicki and Carol were delighted to see nostalgic reminders of the past, including a vintage Golf GTI, a car they both once owned. In addition to the classic car displays, the festival featured a restoration village showcasing ongoing restoration projects, as well as a military village that included a massive REME 32 ton recovery vehicle and a World War II Hellcat tank.
