For three days in early October, all eyes will turn to Barber Motorsports Park and the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. The 21st annual Barber Vintage Festival, Friday, Oct. 9, through Sunday, Oct. 11, promises a multitude of activities within the park and inside the museum for motorcyclists of all ages.
This year’s festival is a celebration of the life and legacy of park and museum founder George Barber, who died in February, aged 85. Friday evening’s “Motorcycles by Moonlight” gala in the museum officially kicks off the weekend, accompanied by a silent auction supporting the “Discovery and Innovation Motorsports Fund” established in Barber’s honor.
A limited number of tickets are still available for an unforgettable night featuring live entertainment, passed hors d’oeuvres, whiskey and wine tastings, a chef-attended cooking station, and a multicourse dinner. A short documentary film highlighting Barber’s remarkable vision, influence, and enduring impact on the motorsports community will be shown.
Two new exhibitions opening on the third and fifth floors of the museum celebrate historic Ducati and Suzuki milestones. “DUCATI 100” and “GSX-R FORTY YEARS” are curated by museum board member Ultan Guilfoyle and designed by Pierre Terblanche, resident mentor of the Barber Advanced Design Center.
Six staff-moderated seminars featuring respected motorcycle historians, journalists, and championship-winning racers are scheduled for Friday and Saturday afternoon during the festival. Books, jewelry, T-shirts, and other festival-related souvenirs are available for purchase at the museum gift shop and in the several merchandise trailers on the park grounds.
Throughout the 880-acre park, festival attendees have access to BMW Motorrad Days Americas, the Isle of Triumph, new-product reveals, and manufacturer-represented demo rides, plus a kids’ zone, live music, stunt shows, and other perennial crowd favorites, including the American Motor Drome Company’s “Wall of Death.”
Racing fans can look forward to AHRMA competition on the 17-turn, 2.38-mile road course, as well as on the dedicated cross-country, motocross, and trials layouts also located within the park. Hundreds of vendors are expected to participate in one of the largest vintage swap meets in the country, with a vast selection of rare motorcycles, difficult-to-find parts, and memorabilia.
Tickets are available at barbermuseum.org/barber-vintage-festival. Children 15 years of age and under receive free admission to the park when accompanied by a paying adult. A festival ticket does not provide admission to the museum. A separate ticket is required and may only be purchased in person at the front desk.
Official Barber Vintage Festival sponsors include BMW Motorrad USA, Triumph Motorcycles, Royal Enfield, Coca‑Cola, Law Tigers Motorcycle Lawyers, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Mecum Auctions, Michelob ULTRA, and Papa Johns.
The museum wishes to thank Ducati North America, Suzuki Motor USA, and the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham for their support of the exhibitions.
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