national rally history

In 1973, the CVMG membership had grown from its first meeting of nine like minded Ontario vintage motorcycle enthusiasts held in January 1969 to about 70 members, when a decision was made to hold the first of its Annual Rallies at the Welland County Motorcycle Club grounds where 42 of the members attending entered 49 motorcycles to be judged.

Following a successful first year, the Annual Rally continued at the Welland location for another three years, then moved to Molson Park in Barrie for seven years, followed by one year at Cayuga Speedway Park and then back to an expanded Welland CMC site for another five years.

In those early years all CVMG events, except the Annual Rally, became the responsibility of individual Sections. As the Rally continued to grow in size each year it became an annual event not to be missed, hosting increasing numbers of CVMG member rally registrants and day visitors from across Canada and the USA every year. Eventually, it was necessary to form a committee of member volunteers from the various local CVMG Sections to plan and conduct the event, operating under the guidance and supervision of the CVMG National Executive Committee.

In 1990 the Annual Rally moved again to a more permanent location at the Paris Agricultural Society fairgrounds and eventually was renamed the CVMG National Rally. Now, after 35 successful years at Paris, the Rally is on the move again for 2026.

The new location for the CVMG National Rally, held on the June Father’s Day weekend, is the Burford Agricultural Society fairgrounds located at 6 Park Ave, Burford, ON N0E 1A0.