FLEETWOOD Transport Festival celebrates 25 glorious years of classic cars and vintage trams this Sunday.
The annual event, locally known as Tram Sunday, is ready to roll into action after months of planning, with up to 60,000 people and more than 200 exhibits due in town.
Among the exciting new entries this year will be the world's longest limousine w
hich is a converted American monster truck, and a collection of DeLorean sports cars famously featured in Back To The Future.
This year's event will be dedicated to former festival secretary Sylvia Jones, who died in March this year at the age of 74, after a long battle with cancer.
Sylvia was a familiar figure at the event each year, when she would dress up in full Queen Victoria regalia and help to create a festival atmosphere.
Committee chairman Keith Yates said: "Sylvia and her late husband, Victor, were founders of the committee and Sylvia was very hard-working for us over the years.
"She was also known all over the country, where she would dress up in her costume for all kinds of festivals and give wonderful talks to children.
"Sylvia was very inspirational and we are delighted to dedicate this year's festival to her."
The transport festival injects an estimated £1m into the local economy each year and is one of the biggest festivals of its kind in the UK.
Keith added: "Entries are still coming in and it is just getting bigger and better."
Although the exhibits will be ready for viewing from 9am, the official opening ceremony starts at 11.30am with the big parade starting at Fisherman's Walk and proceeding down Lord Street.
Mayor of Wyre Alan Vincent will cut the ribbon and the parade will be headed by the William Riley Lifeboat, an open-topped rowing lifeboat which is in town for the Fleetwood RNLI's 150th celebrations.
MP Joan Humble and the Bulldog Display Team will also be in the parade.
At this year's festival there will be a rare opportunity to see a Hesketh motorcycle. Less than 200 were made and were manufactured by a company headed by a direct descendent of Sir Peter Hesketh, the town's founder.
MG, Ford, Jaguar and American car clubs will be showing their gleaming vehicles and there'll be plenty of military vehicles, including tanks, on display as part of the Help for Heroes campaign.
The Air Ambulance will also be landing on the promenade near the North Euston gardens, and is expected to arrive at around 10am.
Added Keith: "We still need some more stewards. They need to attend our meeting on Monday July 13 at the North Euston Hotel." Marshall volunteers can call him on (01253) 871271 .
