THE ULTIMATE BIKER’S HOLIDAY: WHAT’S ON AT THE CLASSIC TT
Come for a visit. Stay for the thrill. This summer, the world’s most iconic road racing course once again hosts the Classic TT, bringing the sights, sounds, and spirit of racing’s golden era back to life.
From Wednesday 20 to Friday 29 August, you’ll find a full programme of racing and entertainment on the Isle of Man. Legendary riders will take on the 37.73-mile Mountain Course aboard classic machines, just as the greats of the past once did.
If you’re into classic bikes, weathered leather jackets, and the names that shaped road racing history, this is your kind of event - a true celebration of motorcycle culture and the perfect excuse for a biker’s getaway.
Expect two weeks of fuel-soaked history, high-speed spectacle, and pure TT nostalgia. Whether you’re heading out on ride-outs, catching live music, or just soaking up the atmosphere in the paddock, there’s something happening every day.
AT A GLANCE: VIEW ALL EVENTS ACTIVITIES
JOEY DUNLOP: 25 YEARS ON
This summer marks 25 years since Joey Dunlop’s final TT appearance, and the Classic TT will honour the legendary ‘Yer Maun’ with a special Pop-Up Exhibition and Cinema in the Classic TT Fan Zone. Celebrating his final TT win in the 2000 Formula 1 Race and his lasting legacy in road racing, the 2025 event gives you a rare chance to reconnect with one of the sport’s true icons.
Running from Wednesday 20 to Friday 29 August, the Joey Dunlop Pop-Up Exhibition will feature a collection of memorabilia from his unforgettable 2000 performance. Meanwhile, Joey’s Pop-Up Cinema will screen specially selected footage from that memorable year.
Want to hear what it was really like? On Thursday, 28th August, join us at the TT Grandstand Stage for a live edition of The TT Podcast, where the 2000 Formula 1 TT will be brought to life through the voices of those who were there. Hear John McGuinness MBE, Michael Rutter, team insiders, commentators, and the Dunlop family share untold stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and the emotions that made that race one of the greatest in TT history. From fierce rivalries on the track to the brotherhood in the paddock, this live event will give you a new perspective on a race that changed everything.
EXOTIC MACHINES, UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Of course, the Classic TT isn’t just a tribute - it’s a full-throttle return to racing’s glory days. From Wednesday 20 to Friday 29 August, the Mountain Course will come alive once again as some of the sport’s biggest names go head-to-head on classic machinery.
With four distinct classes on offer - Formula One, Historic Senior, Historic Junior, and Lightweight - this year’s event has drawn full grids packed with TT winners, podium finishers, class specialists, and rising stars. You’ll see modern greats like Michael Dunlop, Davey Todd, John McGuinness and Dean Harrison line up to race on legendary bikes, each bringing serious pace and pedigree to the Mountain.
Before the Classic TT gets into full swing, the Manx Grand Prix revs into action from Sunday 17 to Monday 25 August, reviving its sporting roots with grit, passion, and a renewed focus on Supersport and Supertwin classes.
Riders take to the Mountain Course for six days of qualifying from Sunday 17 August, leading into four adrenaline-fuelled races over the Summer Bank Holiday weekend - with the prestigious Senior Manx Grand Prix bringing down the curtain on Monday 25 August.
From Wednesday 20 to Monday 25 August, the Mountain Course becomes a shared arena for the Manx Grand Prix and the Classic TT - creating a relay of two-wheeled drama.
BEYOND THE CHECKERED FLAG
The Classic TT isn’t just about what happens on the course. During race week, the Isle of Man transforms into a time capsule of biker culture - and this year, there’s more to see, hear, and experience than ever before.
Evenings come alive with a packed schedule of live music in Douglas - offering the perfect way to wind down after a day at the races. Over at the Villa Marina, OK Computer, a Radiohead tribute act, kicks off the action on Friday 22 August, followed by Rumours of Fleetwood Mac on Saturday 23 August, bringing the smooth harmonies of 1970s soft rock to life. The Bootleg Beatles deliver a full dose of mop-topped nostalgia on Wednesday 27 August, and Richard Hawley, known for his rich, vintage sound and collaborations with Pulp and Longpigs, takes to the stage on Saturday 24 August for an exclusive acoustic evening. Then on Friday 29 August, the week closes in spectacular fashion at the Gaiety Theatre with Pigs on the Wing, a powerful live tribute to Pink Floyd, bringing psychedelic soundscapes and timeless energy that echo the spirit of the Mountain Course.
On Sunday 24 August, head north for a double dose of action and entertainment. Taking place on the middle Sunday of the 2025 Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT, Jurby Day is always a popular day out, with a mix of motorcycle and sidecar racing, parade laps, displays of classic and modern race machines, plus plenty of food and drink to keep you fueled. Then from 2pm to 10.30pm, Ramsey Rocks takes over the West Quay with live music, food stalls, and a family-friendly fair, rounding off the day with the perfect mix of festival vibes.
For classic bike enthusiasts, the VMCC’s Manx Rally adds another dimension to the fortnight. Open to VMCC members and guests, the rally features a flexible schedule of meet-ups, rideouts, and visits arranged around the racing and weather. Highlights include a run from Laxey on Wednesday 20 August, a group ride to Peel Day on Thursday 21 August, a scenic road run from Ramsey on Tuesday 26 August finishing at the Bunnings residence, and the flagship Parish Run on Thursday 28 August - a 90-mile Island tour with lunch at St. James’s Church and a finish in Ramsey for tea.
Later in the week, Thursday 28 August also brings the Moddey Dhoo MGP Bike Show to Peel, where locals and visitors proudly line the harbour with polished classics and custom pride, glinting under the glow of warm evening lights.
For those wanting to stay the weekend after the Classic TT, the Manx International Classic Trial on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August offers a different kind of thrill. Watch as competitors tackle gravity-defying terrain around the Island aboard vintage machines that simply refuse to be retired.
CAFÉ CULTURE & MOTORCYCLE MUSEUMS
No biker holiday is complete without the rideouts - the unwritten moments that happen between events. Fortunately, the Isle of Man was built for them.
Make your way to the windswept beauty of the Victory Café at the Bungalow. Housed in a Cold War radar station and perched above the clouds, it’s home to great grub, better views, and the iconic Joey Dunlop statue, forever watching over his mountain kingdom.
Down in Douglas, TT winner and Manx legend Richard “Milky” Quayle invites you into the Paramount Café - a true racer’s hangout filled with memorabilia, motorsport chat, and good coffee. It’s the kind of place you might just lose a few hours, and gain a few stories.
In between, the Island’s motor museums await. The Jurby Motor Museum is a labyrinth of rare bikes, Manx history and mechanical marvels. And in Douglas, the TT Gallery at the Manx Museum tells the story of road racing through relics, race suits, and the roar of heritage.
This summer until 7 September 2025, the Manx Museum also presents No Limit at 90, a special exhibition marking the 90th anniversary of one of the TT’s most beloved tributes. First released in 1935, No Limit starred Britain’s top comedian of the time, George Formby, as the hapless but determined George Shuttleworth - an aspiring TT rider whose chaotic journey to racing glory (and romance) on the Isle of Man captured hearts across the nation.
Presented in partnership with the George Formby Society, the free to enter exhibition features original memorabilia, racing artefacts from the era, and behind-the-scenes photos revealing how the film was made.
ROAR FROM ABOVE: TYPHOON DISPLAY TO LIGHT UP CLASSIC TT
This year’s Classic TT gets a thunderous boost from above as the world-renowned RAF Typhoon Display Team brings one of the most powerful fast-jet demonstrations in the world to Douglas Bay.
Scheduled for Thursday 28 August at 19:30, the display will showcase the raw speed, precision, and agility of the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 - the RAF’s cutting-edge multi-role combat aircraft. This aerial spectacle will offer a thrilling contrast to the vintage machinery on the ground, adding a high-octane centrepiece to the evening programme.
TWO WHEELS. ONE ISLAND. ENDLESS MEMORIES.
The Classic TT is more than just a race meeting. It’s a love letter to the golden years. It’s a gathering of kindred spirits. It’s the smell of petrol in the morning and the sound of legends around the course. It’s heritage. It’s home.
So pack your panniers, lace your boots, and fuel up for the ride of a lifetime. Because this August, the Isle of Man becomes your time machine once more.
Come for a visit. Stay for the thrill. The Classic TT is calling.
