THIS MONTH
WE CHECKED OUT THE PARKED UP OUT WEST CAR SHOW ON QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY WEEKEND, AND, EVEN THOUGH THE WEATHER DID WHAT IT WAS EXPECTED TO, THE TURNOUT WAS STILL VERY IMPRESSIVE
When the country treats you to a long weekend, it would be rude not to use it, and Auckland-based Renegade Rod and Custom Club has been known to make the most of Queen’s Birthday on the first Monday of June. With the recent completion of the NorthWest Shopping Centre in Westgate, last year’s Parked Up Out West show marked the first collaboration between the shopping centre and the club, delivering a massive display spread across the entire rooftop car park. Hosting a car show like that in such a public manner — especially thanks to the support of NorthWest — also had its benefits in a massive number of people taking a look, with an audience that may otherwise not have known, or cared, about a car show like it. Coming off last year’s success, the show’s popularity meant that this year’s Parked Up Out West was always going to succeed, although — as any event organizer will tell you — you can’t do anything about the weather. The forecast in the morning looked grim, which limited attendance from out of town. Many who would have driven down from Whangarei or up from the Waikato and Bay of Plenty were put off, but the show still enjoyed a pretty big turnout from locals not put off by the threat of rain. By about 10.30am, numbers began to peak, and, while the huge size of the car park may have lessened the effect somewhat, the number of cars still meant that you needed your walking shoes to take everything in. Unfortunately, the predicted bad weather delivered shortly after, with steady rainfall that only became heavier, prompting a departure en masse. Even so, a good number of cars and people made it there, and a lot of kids took advantage of the free face painting and balloons on offer, so we’d say that the whole thing was a great success, despite the unfortunate circumstances provided by the sky. Parked Up Out West holds a special place in the hearts of car enthusiasts throughout the upper North Island, and we know that next year’s will be a good one … all we need to do is find a way to somehow ensure the weather stays in check!