25th anniversary Trim vintage car rally to attract big crowds
Big crowds are anticipated once again this weekend to the popular annual Trim Vintage & Veteran Car Rally, which this year celebrates its 25th year. The annual event takes place at the Porchfields in the town this coming Sunday, 18th July, showcasing a vast range of vintage and veteran cars, as well as attractions for all the family. Trim Vintage and Veteran Rally was founded by the late Norman Pratt in 1985 and took place in a small yard in Loman Street with just 23 cars. Mr Pratt was determined to expand the show and approached the Roundtree family, who kindly gave the group the use of the Porchfields. The rally has grown each year since then and now attracts between 700 and 800 cars and motorcycles. As well as being one of the largest events of its kind in Leinster, it has also become a renowned family day out with lots of different sideshows to keep everyone happy, from young to old. Over the years, Trim Vintage and Veteran Rally has had everything from the Slievenamon armoured car allocated to Michael Collins during the Civil War to the Presidential Rolls-Royce. As well as the vintage cars, commercials, vans, trucks and tractors, there will be an auto jumble, a funfair, dog show, face-painting for children, a fortune teller, a junior soccer tournament for the Ollie O'Brien Cup and food stalls. There will also be live music and entertainment from international singer and local resident Don Baker, as well as Gerry Tully, Black Porter, Kathy Crinion, Peter Conlon and Jimmy Lynch. There will be executive helicopter rides available across the Boyne Valley. Saturday 17th July will see a pre-show vintage and veteran run, a car treasure hunt and a music concert at Trim Castle Hotel at 8.30pm. Admission is €10 for adults, €5 for senior citizens and students and children are free. There is plenty of free parking available and the event takes place from 11am to 6pm. Proceeds from the Trim rally will, as ever, go to local charities. The biggest beneficiary of the very substantial sums of money raised over the years has been Trim Meals-on-Wheels.