This September, more auto enthusiasts than ever are expected to come out for the third annual Drive Festival. Coined as Canada’s “preeminent outdoor automotive event,” the festival will be held at the Canadian Tire Motorsport park in Bowmanville, Ontario from Sept. 8-10.

The event’s management expects more than 25,000 “autophiles” to attend the interactive festival, featuring some of the rarest and most sought-after vehicles.

“We’re always looking to enhance the experience for passionate car lovers and this year will be even more compelling with our exciting added features,” says Adam Ruppel, festival director, in a news release. “This event truly has something for everyone — from the adrenaline junkies to the seasoned collectors.”

Asked what makes this event stand out among outdoor automotive events, Ruppel said via emailed comments: ”

We have three test tracks, EV launch pad, Micro-Mobility test track, kids features and you can see the world’s greatest cars on our dream car speed run all weekend long! This is the ultimate interactive car show for automotive enthusiasts.  You can also learn to race go-karts, or rent a Ferrari, McLaren or Lamborghini on our performance track.”

Mobil 1 is the official presenting sponsor of the Drive festival, and the title sponsor of the Dream Car Speed Run to be held at the event.

Attendees who participated in past events will be privy to a number of new additions to the 2023 festival. Event management pointed out the below three elements in the press release promoting the event:

Aviva EV Launch Pad: The new addition to the event reflects the continuing interest and popularity of electric vehicles and is described as a “high-speed journey,” combining the eco-conscious power of EV while riding alongside a seasoned professional driver. The event will also once again host its Aviva Electric Avenue, which allows visitors to explore and compare different EV models and learn more about the benefits associated with switching to electric.

Overland Park: If off-road is your thing, this park will feature an off-road test track with vehicles from Nissan, Kia, Toyota and more.

The Collection: Antique car lovers take note. The collection is a curated group of the rarest and most collectible cars in the world, including a Lamborghini Miura, Porsche 959, McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari.

Highlighting additional features of the event, the Drive Festival is also home to three test drive tracks for attendees to try out over the weekend.

And if you don’t want to get behind the wheel, attendees can enjoy the Mobil 1 Dream Car Speed Run. Attendees can watch and listen to Canada’s largest selection of exotic, classic and iconic cars driven at speed like the McLaren Elva, Ford GT, Jaguar XJ220, Ferrari F40 and more.

The venue itself touts more than 900 acres of space for exhibitors and car clubs to spread out and show off their exotic, race, vintage and rare cars.

New models will also be featured, including electric and hybrid cars, SUVs, trucks, and modified and new motorcycles, ATVs and Side x Sides.

If you brought along the kids, the Family Fun Zone is worth a visit, with activities like a kids test track with miniature exotic cars, Hot Wheels, e-bikes and even racing simulators.

Drive Festival, in partnership with Central Counties Tourism, is located at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park at 3233 Concession Rd 10, Bowmanville, Ontario.

“Our attendance keeps growing, because people don’t want to just see cars, they want to experience them,” Ruppel said. “Drive Festival presented by Mobil 1 is unlike any other automotive festival in Canada.”