26 YEARS OF KUMEU
The Kumeu Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival is on again in January and organizers are pushing to make it as big as ever.
In the past 26 years, the event has grown from its humble beginnings as a small National Street Rod Association show of only 40 cars and about 300 visitor cars, occupying a small area of the Kumeu Showgrounds, to becoming so big it almost swallows the neighbouring Kumeu township. The 26th running of the festival, to be held on 16–17 January 2021, will be no different, with an expected 3500 cars and 100 bikes bringing around 25,000 people to the show, which now occupies the entire 16-hectare showgrounds site to capacity. More than 350 swap sites, 120 trade stands, and more than 25 food and drink vendors will fill the paddocks surrounding the main drawcard — the invitation-only show hall, where new cars will be unveiled and some old favourites showcased. However, anyone who’s attended the show in previous years will know it’s often those among the hundreds of cars on display outside the show halls that can deliver the unexpected goodness we all seek at these events.
Organizer Desma Galvin explains the driver of a display car gets in free. They only pay if camping overnight. They are directed to the outdoor car display area.
“If they want to put their car on display inside the show sheds they have to send us a photo of the car and their contact details.”
Three bands, The Sons, Loop, and Looking Glass Machine, will play over the weekend, including on Saturday night for the overnight campers
— camping is an option open only to swap site holders, members of displaying car clubs, people displaying cars, or vendors.
Besides the main drawcard show shed, the People’s Choice award, and the swap sites, the programme includes the Jack Daniel’s BBQ competition, a pedal car competition, a kids hot rod race, an inflatable costume race, and — new this year
— a fireman’s challenge. Also new this year is sponsorship from Repco, which will be giving away prize packs, joining Milwaukee Tools, Battery Town, and Classic Cover Insurance as show enablers. Entry is only $20 on the gate, with kids under 12 free, and $15 for those who come as passengers in a show car. For more information or to book a trade, swap, or camp site, see kumeuhotrodfestival. co.nz.