A STAPLE event in the North Cornwall calendar has been cancelled this year to give its organisers time to breathe new life into the 2027 event.

After a difficult 2025 show, the organisers of Launceston Steam Rally put out a call for help from the community to ensure the show could return in style.

However, organisers have revealed that 2026’s calendar will not feature the event as further time is needed to make sure plans are in order.

Speaking to the Post following 2025’s event, chair of the rally committee, Sally Meredith said: “We need more hands; we need more bodies to run sections and help with general set up as well as fundraising and things like that, because it’s not a cheap thing to put on.

“We need as much help as we can get.”

Now, the committee has issued a statement that May’s event will be postponed while work is undertaken to rebrand the rally.

A spokesperson from the Rally committee told the Post: “As many will know Launceston Steam and Vintage Rally was due to take place in May this year. Following a number of discussions amongst the committee and listening to feedback from our visitors and exhibitors, we decided that after over 40 years of the rally it was time for a change.”

The committee hopes to freshen things up with a rebrand – with the show now taking a new name: ‘Launceston Rally’.

The spokesperson continued: “The committee decided on a rebrand, where a new name was chosen, a new date and a new logo. With these changes came many other things that needed to be updated as well as new and exciting amendments to be made to the rally itself.

“Despite working very hard behind the scenes, there is still much to do, so the committee made the very hard decision to postpone the 2026 Rally. The rebrand itself has taken longer than expected to organise and we wanted to make sure we gave the new rally the best start we could. If we were to go ahead this year we felt, as a committee, that we would not be able to put on the rally we wanted.

“The newly renamed Launceston Rally will be back on May 1 to May 3, 2027.

“Instead of a rally this year we will be focusing on planning for 2027 and running a number of fundraising events. Plans for fundraising events are already being thought up, such as bingo nights, quiz nights and fun days. All of our updates, including event news will be posted on our social media accounts.”

Those looking to support the event can attend the AGM on June 18 at 7pm at the Eagle House Hotel in the town.

“We would love for more people to join us, and help us organise the next rally and the fundraising events,” they added. “If you would like to join the committee, please email [email protected]”