Hot Dog! Americarna’s back
Seaside spectators said ‘‘aloha’’ to hundreds of rumbling cars waving American flags as the first day of Americarna took to the coast.
The 800-strong American car fleet headed to Opunake Beach yesterday morning to party Hawaiian-style with Americanstyle hot dogs and peanut butter snacks.
Masses of street-side fans waved and cheered to welcome the car enthusiasts as the 10th anniversary of Taranaki’s largest car festival took off on its first official event.
But not all participants took part in their own car.
‘‘I hop in a different car every time,’’ Willy Marshall said.
‘‘I usually try and stick with the convertibles.’’
Marshall, or Hillbilly Willy, travelled from Salt Lake City, Utah.
For him, this was an experience like no other.
"You have the neatest cars; the quality and the variety of cars here in New Zealand is tremendous," he said.
‘‘You have better cars than we do in the States, I think.’’
This was Marshall’s fourth time in New Plymouth for the event and would likely not be his last.
‘‘I love all the cars and the people are so friendly.’’
This was echoed among the crowds of gleeful participants.
‘‘Everyone is just so happy,’’ Nicky Foster said, as she peered through her American flag-printed sun glasses.
‘‘It’s good to see everyone dressed up and having a fun time.’’
She and husband Albert had made the trip up from Invercargill in their 1965 Ford Fairlane - a hefty trek Foster believed no other entrant had made.
‘‘I think everyone is mostly from the North Island,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s such a huge effort to get here.
"All the guys on the ferry were giving us the thumbs up."