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One of the most popular fundraising events in Orewa, the annual Rodders Beach Festival, is on again this summer.
This time, due to uncertainties around Covid-19, the event has been scaled back a little, and will be held over two days instead of three.
The event, on Anniversary Weekend, January 29 and 30, will be the 12th Rodders Festival to be held in Orewa.
Key activities, including the picnic in the park, drive in movie, and a chance to see the vehicles cruising through Orewa town centre, remain.
However, one of the big drawcards, the Show and Shine on Orewa Boulevard, has been cancelled. Co-organiser Sharon Morris says the public will still have plenty of opportunities to view the cars on Orewa Reserve on both days.
The first day, Friday January 29 includes the picnic and drive in movie. The cars will be parked on the reserve from 2pm-7pm, when they cruise through Orewa heading to the North Harbour Country Club in Dairy Flat.
On Saturday 30, there is a full day of activities on Orewa Reserve including live entertainment, food stalls, and the Miss Hibiscus Vintage and Retro Tiny Tots competitions.
At 3pm the bikes and hot rods will leave the reserve for a Bike & Thunder cruise through Orewa and up to the Puhoi Pub where there will be a ‘What’s under your Hood’ and bike show.
This year’s Festival raised a record-breaking $70,000 for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and attracted a crowd of around 50,000.
Next year the funds will go to the Hibiscus Coast Youth Centre. It’s an organisation close to Sharon Morris’ heart – it was started in 1998 at the instigation of her father, Keith Morris, who died the following year.
