GO WAIHI WARM UP PARTY
For many Beach Hoppers, things kicked off in Whangamata, with entrants gathering at the Ford Reserve (Williamson Park) for a mass cruise out to Waihi at 10am. The logistical work behind this is immense, with the Go Waihi Warm Up Party securing road closures throughout downtown Waihi, which gets taken over for the day by a mass of hot rods, classic and muscle cars, trade stalls, and entertainment areas — most notable being local band Tim and the Rockets playing in Waihi’s iconic Cornish Pumphouse. In addition to its position as a cruisy way to ease into the Beach Hop schedule, the Go Waihi Warm Up Party has also become known for the annual drag race that we hopefully won’t need to explain much further! Of course, this thing is really all about the cars, and, with a significant stretch of the main drag taken up, as well as many side streets, you had to have your walking shoes on to take it all in. The cars on show also gave us a good idea of what to expect in terms of cars in attendance — not just returning Hop stalwarts, but new builds freshly completed for the event that acts as the deadline for a significant chunk of locally built vehicles. Things began wrapping up by mid-afternoon, by which time the masses had hit the road for Whangamata — some to visit the main street of Port Road for dinner or to cut some laps, others to kick back and unwind before the huge days ahead, and a few more to enjoy one of many entertainment offerings at Jack Daniels HQ.