Canberra’s Japanese car scene is getting a festival of its own, with the inaugural Canberra Japanese Motor Festival taking over Thoroughbred Park on Sunday 18 October. 

Running from 10am to 3pm, the one-day event will bring together Japanese cars, motorcycles, race and rally builds, 4WDs and more, alongside market stalls, food vendors and a broader celebration of Japanese motoring culture. 

Spectator entry is by donation, with every dollar raised at the gate going to Camp Quality, supporting children facing cancer and their families. 

 

A new event on the calendar 

2026 marks the festival’s first year, created by a group of local Japanese car enthusiasts and social clubs who wanted to bring Canberra’s motoring community together in one place.  

Fyshwick workshop Stay Tuned is also backing the event, with organisers hoping to make it an annual fixture on the Canberra calendar. 

 

What you’ll see on the day 

The festival is all about getting up close to the vehicles, giving you plenty of time to wander through the line-up, take a closer look and chat with the owners. 

Expect everything from rare imports and classic motorcycles to modified street cars, race and rally builds, trucks, off-roaders and kei cars. Market stalls and food and drink vendors will also be set up around the Thoroughbred Park precinct. 

Car clubs from Canberra and interstate will be part of the day too, including MazdACT, Nissan Skyline and Toyota MR2 owners, plus plenty of Suzuki Jimnys. 

 

Supporting Camp Quality 

The event is raising money for Camp Quality, which supports children facing cancer and their families. 

All spectator entry donations will go directly to the charity, along with 50 per cent of profits from festival merchandise sales. 

 

Want to show off your vehicle? 

If you own a Japanese car, motorcycle, 4WD or truck, you can apply to put it on display through the festival website. You’ll just need your vehicle’s registration number, make, model and year, plus a couple of photos.  

There are also plenty of trophy categories up for grabs, including Best in Show, Classic, Best 80s, Best 90s, Best Modern, Best Motorcycle, Best Kei Car or Truck and People’s Choice. 

For updates in the lead-up, follow @canberrajapanesemotorfestival on Instagram or the festival’s Facebook page.

The Essentials 

Location: Thoroughbred Park, 1 Randwick Road, Lyneham ACT 2602 

Date: Sunday 18 October 2026 

Time: 10am – 3pm 

Entry: Spectator entry by donation to Camp Quality 

Find out more or register your vehicle here.