[mjn77]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Saturday

It has been a couple of years since i was last at Bimmerfest in the Netherlands. As usual, i made a weekend out of it with the BMW Performance Car Club

For the first time in over 16 years we took the Dover <-> Calais ferry. Bimmerfest weekend was a Bank Holiday in the UK and the start of the school half term! To say it was gonna be busy was an understatement. Booked on the 7.15am ferry, we left early, really early!




Roads were quiet until we approached Dover port and then we proceeded to crawl to checkin; just over an hour to drive a few hundred metres.



We checked in with only 20 minutes until the ferry departed. We were pretty much the last car on the ferry.



Absolutely packed.



Saw a few other cars that may have been heading to Bimmerfest?



On the ferry, there was a queue for everything, but after a full English breakfast and a nap, it was time to leave Calais, fill up and head towards the meeting point in Germany.





We catch up with Joao, Matthias, Anthony, Vlad and head over to the karting arena! Yes, go karting. Yes, outdoor karting. Yes, on slick tyres. Yes, without overalls!



I can't remember how many laps (i think 10 qualifying and 30 race laps) we did, but jeez! We were all soaking wet.



https://gopro.com/v/46l7qKnwBZ79O

After we dried off a little, it was time to drive over to our hotel and checkin. Yes, some of us still looked like drowned rats. Some of the stares i got!

After a couple of hot showers, it was time for a well deserved beer (or two) and go for food.

[mjn77]

Sunday

Waking up early on the Sunday, i'm shattered. I did not sleep well after i woke up at 3am following nightmare about Jaffa Cakes.

Looking out the hotel room in the morning and it is still raining! A few club members decide to cancel. However, the hardcore start to arrive at the hotel, so we can travel together.



Before long, everyone was here.









A short drive to Venray Raceway and the queue to enter wasn't too bad. We'd heard rumours that quiet a lot of people cancelled due to the weather, however, that didn't stop the oval from being full! And even though we were there for 10.30am, our club space on the oval had been taken by others! As such, we have to park in the centre, away from the other cars.



The rain continued as we walked around the vendor stalls and other car clubs.





























































































Mora Metallic E93 anyone?









The cars that stole our area on the oval.





Still grey and cloudy.



















In order to buy food n drink, you needed little Bimmderfest tokens.



And finally, the sun came out!



Vlad had an old fashioned Polaroid camera!



When it was time to leave is when things went downhill......the queues.



One line came two lines.



Over an hour to leave the oval.







We had a ferry to catch, so we chatted with the people ahead of us in the queu, explained the situation, and let us queue jump to the very front of the queuw to leave the oval. Many thanks guys if you're reading this!

Once out of the oval, the queue moved pretty well.



We discovered that the exit queue was so slow due to the usual event of some people unable to behave. There was a heavy police presence on the exits and they gave out over 1500 tickets to vehicles as they left. Cars were also seized / impounded due to incorrect number plates and ASBO behaviour.

Once back on the road, we made the ferry with around 15 minutes before checkin closed!

In contrast to Saturday, it was rather quiet!



As such, it gave us a little chance to checkout the duty free.

3 litre bottles anyone?





£22 for the 20 box of Paulaner. Bargain.



All boarded.



Plenty of spare capacity today.



Arrived home at 1am. Final stats of the weekend.



We've got a 5 week break now, before we head back over to France for our main euro trip of the year!

[Mani59]

What a great trip and we event. Thanks for sharing!

[hufington]

Great event and photos. Thanks for sharing. I wish the weather played along.

[Blue87]

It looked like a good event and a good way to meet people. I like the front carbon lip on some of the vehicles.

That's unfortunate the police targeted your group. I imagine the revenue light came when they caught wind of a car event.

I thought the Jacks Daniel's had a 500% markup, but then realized that was for a 3L bottle, which isnt too bad of a price.

[M2PDX]

Great writeup!

Thanks for posting.

[///M TOWN]

Finally some proper front page news… 🤩

[My M3]

Great shots, thanks for sharing. Despite the rain I am sure you had a great time anyway

[225]

Nice! That's a lot of very nice metal and M badges...
Good to see some "proper" cars in the i5 m60 s....

[spuntyb]

Love this. Thanks for sharing!!

[tnot]

Superb! Great written account, and excellent photos—!

[IcewaterPete]

Fantastic! The karting in the rain…legendary!!

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by Blue87

That's unfortunate the police targeted your group. I imagine the revenue light came when they caught wind of a car event.

That was because of last year. A staff member was hit by a car when exiting the venue, hence the strong police presence this year.

[MParallel]

Originally Posted by Blue87

....That's unfortunate the police targeted your group. I imagine the revenue light came when they caught wind of a car event...

They didn't catch wind. These events have to be declared beforehand.

If not, the whole venue would've been swept clean.

[GOLFFRR]

great post! enjoyed that

[ice31]

Man, I wish there were more post like this. Just old school meet and greet for enthusiasts, excellent pictures, some beautiful stunners in those.
Cheers mate.

[DubaiRich]

Originally Posted by ClearMinded

Come next year to Bimmerfest! Usually it is organised either in May or in June.

Is it always in NL??

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by DubaiRich

Is it always in NL??

There are two events in the US and one in Ireland, that i know about but www.bimmerfest.eu is always in the Netherlands.

[DubaiRich]

Thanks for the info. Thought of attending one of the events prior to heading back to the US next summer

[ice31]

Originally Posted by ClearMinded

Come next year to Bimmerfest! Usually it is organised either in May or in June.

I’m planning various trips as soon as I get a proper M car