A 33-year-old man has been charged with the death of a patron at Summernats earlier this year.

Queensland resident Alister Spong is charged with culpable driving causing death. He was summonsed to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court in March, and will face court again this week.

The charge relates to an incident at the annual car festival in January, where Luke Newsome, 30, from Emerald in Queensland was killed after falling from the tray of a ute.

The death was the first in the event's 29-year history. It resulted in security at Summernats issuing a blanket ban on riding on the back of utes.

In the days that followed his death on January 6, Mr Newsome was remembered as a "top bloke" and a loving friend and partner who cared deeply about his family.