One of the world’s great historic motoring events, the Bay to Birdwood, returns on Sunday, October 22.

A fixture on the South Australian events calendar since 1980, a parade of more than 1500 historic vehicles is set to wind past around 90,000 spectators along the streets of Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills to view the annual spectacle.

The iconic day out sees thousands of South Australians of all ages (and car enthusiasts from around the country) line the 67km route to view the historic motoring parade from West Beach through to the National Motor Museum at Birdwood in the Adelaide Hills.

Held annually, the Bay to Birdwood is a historic motoring event that draws participants from around Australia and the world.

Bay to Birdwood chair Michael Neale said with so many carefully prepared vehicles and ensembles on show, it’s no surprise we see so many people lining the route on Sunday morning each year.

“With vehicles spanning the 20th century, through the period of two world wars, through to the early 1990s, it’s the history of modern motoring before your eyes,” he said.

This year’s expert technical judges will review all award entered vehicles on October 21 at the Migration Museum in the City.

All award vehicles must complete the Bay to Birdwood to be eligible to win their category, with winners announced at the Finish Festival at the National Motor Museum, Birdwood.

There are several Award categories which include the prestigious Concours d’Elegance Award and the Preservation Award.

This year welcomes the return of the newest award category the EV Conversion Award, a world-first prize that welcomed electric-converted historic vehicles for the first time in 2022.

“There’s growing popularity for conversion of historic vehicles from their original internal combustion engines to EV powertrains,” Mr Neale said.

“With increased environmental awareness, it’s an important priority for many. The Bay to Birdwood’s EV Conversion Award initiative may encourage car-lovers to make those conversions as historically sympathetic as possible.”

Entrants and Finish Festival attendees are encouraged to wear period clothing – as is tradition at the Bay to Birdwood — to watch the parade wind its way from Anzac Highway up Greenhill, Fullarton and North East roads through the townships of Tea Tree Gully, Inglewood, Gumeracha and on to Birdwood.