Blairgowrie Rotary’s Classic Car Days

HRH Prince Michael of Kent, with Colin Stewart as copilot, drove Colin’s Jaguar XK120 on the 2018 Drive it Day, starting from Blairgowrie and ending at Scone Palace



After10 years of taking part in ‘Drive it days’ organised by Joe Norman of Strathendrick Rotary, Colin Stewart was asked by Joe if the Rotary Club of Blairgowrie could take over the event, as their membership had decreased. The Strathendrick Club has since been wound up.

The Rotary Club of Blairgowrie did its first event on 22 April 2017 with 75 Classic and Vintage Cars taking part. 

The Club Members put in an incredible amount work with a lot of attention to detail, learning from all the past experiences what makes a successful event.The objective was to make participants very happy and in the process raise a lot of money for the chosen Charities.

Participant feedback was that it was the best day ever and the club raised £17500 with one participant raising £2000 in sponsorship; this was most money raised in UK on Drive it Day that year

The event pulled the club together and everyone enjoyed themselves.


Building on this event the Club decided to have a two day Motoring Festival in 2018.

The Saturday event would take 150 Classic, Vintage and Super cars into Perth, where Perth & Kinross Council closed the streets.

2000 people attended including HRH Prince Michael of Kent who took the Salute as all cars left Perth to return to Scone Palace

We celebrated the 1875 Red Flag act with the Provost of Perth & Kinross in 1907 Model T Ford which was the same Model as the first Town Car and with the High Constables leading the Parade 

over Smeatons Bridge in Perth. 

When the cars returned to Scone Palace 1500 people attended and also enjoyed 20 Car Clubs displays of over 400 unique, special cars, vintage motor cycles, Spitfire plane, Pipe Band,

Children’s Poster competition and flying display by a ‘Pit Special’ Plane. 

The day ended with a Civic Reception hosted by Perth & Kinross Council attended by HRH Prince Michael of Kent, Lord Provost of Perth & Kinross and Lord Lieutenant of Perth & Kinross Brigadier Mel Jameson.

On Sunday 85 cars set off from Blairgowrie Golf Club driving into Blairgowrie Wellmeadow where the local Community Council had set up a arch for the cars to go through along with entertainment for local people.


HRH Prince Michael of Kent, drove a Jaguar XK120 owned by Colin the 160 miles along with the other participants to Banchory for lunch and back to Scone Palace for High Tea in the Long Hall.

This event raised £28000 for Charities, which is the most money raised in Club’s history from one event.

Go to www.blairgowrieclassiccartour.co.uk to see all the Drone Videos and Photographs for the event. 


On 28th November 2018 the Club organised a Classic Car Club event at Perth Airport, courtesy of Morris Leslie.

120 Car Club members viewed a collection of 300 Classic cars, 95 aircraft in 1936 World War II Hanger and visited Air Services Training centre

A further £5200 was raised for Charity.

The Rotary Club of Blairgowrie has now raised £50,700 from its car events over the last two years, benefitting Cancer Research, Children’s Hospice Across Scotland, Alzheimers Scotland, Scotlands Charity Air Ambulance, Rotary Foundation, and local causes.


Colin Stewart

Chairman of the Car Organising Committee


Related pages...

The Lord Lieutenant flagging the cars off from the Wellmeadow, Blairgowrie

Drive it Day 2019

more 2019 was the third year the Rotary Club of Blairgowrie has run this event. Another new route, with lots of exciting things to see!

back to page above this...

Drive it Day 2021

back Drive it Day raises £31,000!