The Whitianga Beach Meet - third time lucky

A huge success and just what the local community needed By Jack Biddle.

While some of the Whangamata based Beach Hop cars paid a welcome but fleeting visit to towns around the Coromandel including Whitianga recently, it was in fact simply only the entrée to last Easter Sundays hugely successful main event -The Whitianga Beach Meet.

Local car enthusiasts, Reg and Julie Smith who are members of the Whitianga based American Muscle, Street & Custom Club, led the organising committee and were relieved to wake up to clear skies Sunday morning. “Unfortunately, the weather changed to showers mid-afternoon but by that stage thankfully, the bulk of the programme had been completed, so we are calling it a hugely successful day,” said Reg.

And why wouldn’t you, after two cancellations due to the recent extreme weather events. The Buffalo Beach Reserve was packed with around 230 entries which included cars, motorbikes, military vehicles and retro caravans from a past era. And they all had their very own unique and different story to tell by their passionate owners.

A taste of the latest offerings from the new car industry was also on public display, courtesy of one of the main sponsors for the event Farmer Auto Village. The other main sponsor was CFM along with a host of local and further afield businesses, all of whom donated a comprehensive amount of category spot and raffle prizes. The Christensen Group Ltd also came to the party by providing two semi-trailers which became the stage for the day’s proceedings.

The local community and Easter holiday visitors turned up in big numbers to pour over the vehicles on display, listen to the live bands, purchase a raffle ticket or two, partake in the live auctions and enjoy some of the fast food on offer.

One of the most sought-after prizes on offer was to win a return chauffeured ride in the large Pink Cadillac on display, from Buffalo Beach over to Luke’s Kitchen in Kuaotuna for a complimentary lunch. The prize was generously donated by the car owners and club members, Doug and Denise Campbell, and won by a very happy local, Olivia Down.

“The feedback from entrants and the general public alike has been very positive so from that alone we can say the event was a success. Without local community support and owners entering their vehicles, we don’t have a show so a big thanks to them all as well. With over 50 spot and category prizes handed out along with raffle ticket winners, a lot of people went home feeling pretty happy” adds Reg.

So yes, a huge big tick and a job well done to Reg and Julie along with their hard working and never-give-up organising committee. It was indeed a long-awaited event that the local community was only too happy to be a part of and embrace.

Let’s pencil it in for 2024.

All proceeds from the show went to two worthy local causes, Project Mammogram and the Mercury Bay Cancer Support Trust.

Once the total sum raised is confirmed by organisers the Informer will publish the details.