After nearly a decade at the Hovby Airfield, organizers have announced the iconic Power Big Meet will not return to Lidköping in 2026. Citing recent unpredictable whether patterns and rising costs-estimated at 1.2 million Swedish krona for initial setup-the event is shifting its focus to a series of regional gatherings across Sweden. The American Car Club Sweden, along with Bibi and Kjelle Gustafson, confirmed the arduous decision comes after evaluating logistical challenges impacting the large-scale event.
Organizers have announced that the Power Big Meet will not return to Hovby Airfield/Lidköping in 2026.
The decision comes after two years of challenging weather conditions in 2024 and 2025, impacting the event’s substantial costs. The initial setup expenses, roughly 1.2 million Swedish krona, are calculated based on typical weather patterns, which haven’t been the case recently. 2023 also presented similar difficulties!
The event requires significant investment, including airfield rental, security personnel, extensive barriers, 70 portable restrooms, comprehensive waste management – numerous large containers and approximately 100 smaller bins – and a team of around 90 volunteers managing logistics both at the entrance and throughout the grounds. Manual cleanup of the Hovby field during and after the event, along with elaborate sound systems, a large collection of awards for winning vehicles, 5,000 Power Big Meet signs, and marketing efforts all contribute to the event’s professional execution. Months of preparation are needed by the organizing team before the meet even begins!
For their 47th year, the Power Meet team will instead host events in Hässleholm on Saturday, May 30 (at Hässleholmsgården, a green space in the center of Hässleholm, where they’ve held the Power Start of Summer Meet for over 30 years) and in Emmaboda on Saturday, August 29 (the Power End of Summer Meet will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026!).
Both events are consistently well-attended and popular with fans.
The 2026 season will conclude in Vara on Saturday, October 31, with the indoor Power Autumn Market, a popular event for the past 25 years!
The organizers expressed their gratitude to Lidköping for hosting the Power Meet from 2017 to 2019 and again from 2022 to 2025.
“It’s a difficult decision – especially for all the friends we’ve made from around the world,” said Bibi and Kjelle Gustafson, along with American Car Club Sweden.
