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A return to the three-day festival format after disruptions caused by Covid-19 is one of the most exciting things about this year’s Hibiscus Rodders Festival for its organisers and the public alike.
The popular event will take over Ōrewa for January 26-28 with dozens of hot rods shined to perfection and with engines roaring, live entertainment and a major prize draw.
Organiser Sharon Morris of Hibiscus Rodders says a new element to look forward to is the Mothers Shot in the Dark; the hot rods will cruise down Ōrewa Boulevard on the Friday night, with owners dressed up. Ten cars will be chosen to be professionally photographed and the images go to sponsor Mothers Car Products in America, which will pick a winner to be used in its marketing.
The Miss Hibiscus Vintage competition is on Saturday on Ōrewa Reserve – two winners of the Miss Australasia Vintage are the judges. The action will also be in Pūhoi, where the What’s Under your Hood competition and the Auckland Harley Davidson Bike Show will be held.
The entire event is, as always, a big fundraiser for the Westpac Helicopter Trust (see below). This includes the auction proceeds and Sharon says this year there are some great items up for grabs, including a Bar Leaner made by Fabrication Specialists of Silverdale, a car and vintage fridges that have been converted into safes.
One of the biggest crowd-pleasers is the Show and Shine where the cars can be seen up close by the public, lining Ōrewa Boulevard. This will be held on Sunday – for the first time since 2021 and will finish with the V8 Rumble as the hot rods start their engines en masse.
The cars then head out to the Country Club in Dairy Flat to let rip with the Loudest Sounds and Loudest Exhaust competitions! Info: www.roddersbeachfestival.co.nz/full-intinerary
A Rescue Helicopter spokesperson says that the service is forever grateful for the Rodders Beach Festival and the Hibiscus Coast community’s support for its ongoing work. On the Coast the service was involved with seven missions last year, including three to Gulf Harbour and three to Tiritiri Matangi Island. On New Year’s Day 2024, they assisted a male patient in his 50s in Army Bay after he suffered a fall onto some rocks. He needed to be extracted by winch from a height of 13.7 metres and was flown to North Shore Hospital in a moderate condition. By comparison, there were a total of 11 local missions in 2022. At the end of this month, the service will launch its Classic Car Lottery with a 1972 Plymouth Cuda Tribute, an American muscle car, up for grabs. Valued at over $150,000, this rare beauty has been lovingly restored with a V8 engine and a finish of Plum Crazy Purple. It will be at the Rodders Beach Festival for the community to view up close.
