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Ōrewa Beach came alive as thousands of people and hundreds of cars descended for the 2026 Rodders Beach Festival over Auckland Anniversary Weekend, transforming the waterfront into a celebration of classic cars, creativity, and community spirit.
The three-day event was filled with the roar of engines, impressive exhaust flames, and the cheerful sound of old-fashioned musical horns.
Eager fans lined Ōrewa Boulevard on the Friday evening to soak up the atmosphere as hot rods, customs, and vintage vehicles rolled past ahead of their display over the weekend.
Visitors enjoyed a full programme of attractions, including live entertainment, the Miss Hibiscus Vintage show, and an array of tasty food trucks along the waterfront, in between sudden squalls, slippery stages and windy gusts on Saturday, resulting in improvised sheltered pageant runways.
Alongside the car displays, Chet O’Connell Music and Old World Radio with Jarrod and Megan supplied a soundtrack of timeless tunes, with dancers from the Hibiscus Rock’n’Roll Club performing on stage throughout the festival.
The crowning of Miss Hibiscus Vintage was another highlight, with 11 ladies donning their frocks, petticoats and bright shades of lipstick for the occasion. Lady Sugar-Belle took first place, followed by Miss Bricka-Diction in second and Violet Reign in third.
The Beach Rodders Festival continued its proud tradition of giving back, helping to raise money for the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
