Summernats ( a portmanteau of `` Summer '' and `` National '' ) , is an annual car festival held Hold in Canberra , Australia since 1987 .

Summernats , which is usually held Hold at the start Process_start of the year , is the best known car festival in Australia , and an event which attracts many tourists to Canberra , bringing in Bringing excess of $ 20 million in economic benefit Earnings_and_losses to the ACT economy .

The Summernats spectator attendance record Recording was set Placing in 2017 with 119,184 attendees .

Summernats features many street machines with airbrushed artwork , and restored Recovering and modified Change cars .