If you've got a pliable face and a talent for the English tradition of ‘gurning' then make sure you're at the Brits at the Beach Festival in Whangamata next week.

Kicking off next Thursday, the annual four-day festival attracts hundreds of motoring and Britannia enthusiasts to celebrate the best of British vehicles, food, music, fashion, culture and much more.

The English tradition of gurning returns to Whangamata when the Brits at the Beach kicks off next week on October 8. Photo: Supplied

Organiser Colin McCabe says a big highlight of the festival every year is the Great British Village Fete, which is being sponsored by Sun Media thin 2015.

'During the fete there's tons of competitions people can take part in like knotted hanky tying, a silly walks competitions and the ancient art of gurning,” he says.

For the unsure, ‘gurning' is an English tradition that sees people pulling the most grotesque, and often hilarious, contorted faces that they can, while a horse halter is draped around their neck.

The tried and true method typically sees gurners pushing their lower jaw as forward and upwards as possible to cover their upper lip with the lower lip.

So anyone prone to pulling a good duckface while taking selfies could have a great chance of being crowned this year's Brits at the Beach gurning champion.

'The current gurning champion Johnny Green and his pliable face will also be returning this year to defend his title and to take on any newcomers.”

The fete will also feature an array of entertainment like Maypole dancers from the Whangamata Area School, Morris dancers, a pipe band, plus the Whangamata Animal Hospital Scruffs Dog Show.

And if you needed another reason to make the jaunt to Whangamata for the festival how about 1,000 of them?

As part of the SunLive Great British Fete a Costume Party will be run and judged with the winner walking away with a $1,000 prize, explains Colin.

'Brits at the Beach is a fancy dress event, so we heartily encourage everyone to come dolled up in anything British. Military, historical, pop culture, sport – you name it we've had it.

'Last year's winners were the Young Punks and the year before that we had The Wombles from WImbledon Common come to play at Williamson Park in Whangamata.”

If you love dressing up and like the sound of a $1,000 prize then get your British-inspired costume ready for the Brits at the Beach Festival which returns to Whangamata next week on October 8. Photo: Supplied