With local restrictions not allowing race cars in action on Sundays, Lime Rock Park utilized the day to host several community events last summer, attracting thousands of new and returning fans to experience the track from a different perspective.

In addition to a busy schedule of traditional race events in 2023, the Connecticut facility will grow its offerings this year, adding a vast array of activities for the whole family to enjoy while also raising money for local charities.

Spend Sundays at The Park

FCP Euro returns to Lime Rock Park this season for the popular Sunday Motoring Meet, part of the Sundays at The Park series. The diverse series of free car shows and gatherings held throughout the spring and summer at Lime Rock Park will showcase a variety of marques, from Audi to Volvo.  Last year, thousands of local enthusiasts attended the events, with an average participant entry of around 600 cars per meet.

FCP Euro kicked off the 2023 Sunday Motoring Meet series last Sunday (April 23). Buckets of rain poured down at Lime Rock but hundreds of people still showed up braving the weather and lined the front straight to honor Volvos and Saabs as the featured marques. The next Sunday Motoring Meet will be held on May 7. (Schedule)

The Sundays at The Park series will also showcase the Royals’ Garage Car Show on May 28, benefitting Just Hands Foundation, which aims to get more hand-controlled cars on the race track. The Lime Rock Concours and Gathering of the Marques Sunday in The Park will display nearly 1,000 enthusiast cars and motorcycles arranged around the Lime Rock circuit on September 3. A portion of the ticket sales from the Sunday in The Park event will go to Paul Newman’s charity, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

What is the Secret?

For the last 20 years, thousands of horticulturalists, garden and antique lovers alike, including Martha Stewart, have traveled to Connecticut to experience the wonders of Trade Secrets™. The “garden event of the year” moved to Lime Rock Park last spring and will be in full bloom on May 21. Trade Secrets is a rare plant, garden and antiques sale that benefits Project SAGE, formerly the Women’s Support Services, a non-profit organization founded in 1981 that provides services to persons in the northwest corner of Connecticut who have experienced domestic violence or abuse. Fans can expect to enjoy shopping from over 50 specialty plant and antique vendors and take tours of extraordinary public and private gardens around the area (garden tours will be held on May 20).

Vote for Connecticut’s Best Craft Beer

Following a very successful inaugural event in 2022, the Connecticut Craft Beer Grand Prix will return to Lime Rock Park bigger and better on May 28th from noon-4 p.m. as part of the Trans Am Memorial Day Classic.

Curated by Great Falls Brewing Co. and Lime Rock Park, the ultimate craft beer experience allows fans to discover the best brews in the state and meet the talented brewers behind them while supporting the Salisbury Winter Sports Association in the process.

“The CT Craft Beer Grand Prix is the first, and only, professional beer competition to showcase the outstanding quality and variety of Connecticut’s craft beers,” said Chris Tripler from Great Falls Brewing Co. which brews a special Lime Rock Park Lager, a “cruising beer” designed to be enjoyed in the infield, outfield and winners circle. “Last year the event generated a large turnout and we are expecting even more breweries from across the state to join us at Lime Rock Park this year. Lime Rock’s lush park-like atmosphere, surrounded by vintage cars makes it the perfect facility to host this event.”

See Motorcycles at The Park

The inaugural Gears in Heaven Motorcycle and Automobile will honor late motorcycle enthusiast Brandon Forlastro on June 17. The event will feature a motorcycle AutoCross element held on the FCP Proving Grounds along with a motorcycle and car show.

All makes and models are encouraged to enter as the show benefits Gears in Heaven, a non-profit organization of volunteers and donors missioned to assist the families of motorsport enthusiasts who were killed or seriously injured in a vehicle accident.

Smooch a Pooch

Pooches will prance around Lime Rock Park June 11 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the Great Country Mutt Show. The Great Country Mutt Show is a Westminster-style Mutt Show that showcases dogs of all breeds and creeds. From “the best mask” to “the best lapdog over 40 pounds” to “the sweetest pair,” there are multiple chances for fans’ beloved dogs to take to the ring. While the doggy competition is in action, attendees can enjoy several other activities including, a pet and owner fashion show, an auction, raffles, live music, food trucks and more. The event is free and open to the public and will benefit the Little Guild Animal Rescue in Cornwall, Connecticut.

An Epic Ride

Based from the legendary Lime Rock Park in Connecticut’s Litchfield County, the Lime Rock Epic gravel fondo will weave through waterfalls and covered bridges, showcasing the region’s autumn splendor on October 8. Set for its second year, organizers chose to develop a dirt road tour to establish a cornerstone for a spectacular cycling weekend in the Berkshires.

The event will offer three options: The “Epic” will be a 68-mile route with nearly 6,000 feet of climbing and 13 unpaved sectors; the “Explorer” will be a 46-mile route with nearly 4,000 feet of climbing and 10 unpaved sectors. Organizers will also offer a gentle 18-mile “Express” route with just two easy dirt road sectors for beginners and novices.

Part of the proceeds from the ride will be donated to the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program.

For more information or for tickets to the events, visit: Community Events – Lime Rock Park

Sundays at The Park Schedule:

FCP Euro Sunday Motoring Meet – Swede Speed (Volvo/Saab) – April 23, 2023
FCP Euro Sunday Motoring Meet – Bavarians & Brits (BMW/MINI) – May 7, 2023

Memorial Day Classic – Royals’ Garage Car Show – May 28, 2023
FCP Euro Sunday Motoring Meet – Stuttgart Special – July 9, 2023
FCP Euro Sunday Motoring Meet – GRIDLIFE Circuit Legends – August 20, 2023

Sunday at The Park –  Lime Rock Concours and Gathering of the Marques – September 3, 2023
FCP Euro Sunday Motoring Meet – AUTOBERFEST – October 19, 2023

*Dates are listed tentatively

Community Event Schedule:

Trade Secrets – May 21, 2023
Craft Beer Grand Prix – May 28, 2023
Little Guild Great Country Mutt Show – June 11, 2023

Gears in Heaven Motorcycle and Auto Show – June 17, 2023
Lime Rock Park Epic – Oct. 8, 2023

*Dates are listed tentatively