Ashburton’s iconic Wheels Week+ brings a ‘‘hell-of-a-good vibe around Ashburton’’, organising committee member Peter Jacob says.
The annual event, which starts on Sunday, runs until May 17.
It showcases anything and everything with wheels.
Jacob said the annual event has something to entertain young and old and the first official event of the Greg Donaldson Contracting Wheels Week+ programme is the Ashburton Plains Rotary Club’s classic car run.
Jacobs, himself a keen participant in the rally, said it usually drew a crowd of 150 to 180 cars. Funds raised from this year’s rally are going to the Rural Health Academic Centre at Ashburton Hospital.
‘‘I’m really looking forward to (it), it’s usually quite a good day. There’s people coming from Christchurch and Timaru.’’
The following weekend on May 2 will see the stalwarts of Wheels Week+ programme start in Tinwald, just metres apart from one another; the Ashburton Vintage Car Club swap meet, with the Americar Rod and Custom Club display day next door.
People can go from one to another and look at two totally different things all on the same day, he said.
While in Ashburton, the Ashburton Speedway kick starts its two-day racing event featuring national titles and the Originals Motorcycle Show ‘n’ Shine is set up at the Ashburton RSA.
The following day, its day two of the speedway action, the Ashburton Motorcycle Club TT revs into play as does the Ashburton Car Club’s motorkhana in downtown Ashburton.
And at the Oxford St basketball stadium, the Canterbury Rollars return to town to showcase wheelchair basketball.
Wheelchair basketball had also ramped up with two Christchurch teams to play each other in a high-level game on Sunday, May 3, followed by a celebrity showcase.
‘‘Alanna Peck has organised a couple of teams to come down from Christchurch, full on teams, to have a game against each other,’’ he said.
‘‘This isn’t celebrity against the best of the best, this is proper and she has organised some local celebrities and Canterbury celebrities to come down as well.’’
Jacob said he was also looking forward to the annual swap meet where stallholder bookings were ‘‘chocker’’.
The event was cancelled last year due to heavy rain.
‘‘We’ve got quite a few sites already sold. By all accounts, it’s going to be a big one.’’
Other events include classic cars on show to motorcycle, speedway and go kart racing.
He said the programme, which included four weekends of events, drew thousands of people into the district.
Annual favourites included the Ashburton Car Club’s two-day street sprints on May 9 and 10, and the club’s mid-week memorial night car trial on May 13 starting from the Ashburton Club and MSA on Havelock St.
The Ashburton Aviation Museum collection of aircraft and memorabilia will also be open for viewing throughout the programme.
New events included racing simulator fun at Virtual & Retro in Ashburton throughout the Wheels Week programme, and an EV gathering in Methven and at Lake Hood where people can up close to vehicles on show.
Jacobs said Mother’s Day on May 10 also had plenty of offerings to entertain mum and/or the family.
It was day two of the Ashburton Street Sprint – Fuelled by KFC, the aviation museum is open, and Retro & Classic Boats, and Classics & Coffee are heading to Lake Hood where there would be live music by Mackenzie Hallberg.
Closing out the programme on Sunday, May 17 is the Ashburton Family Go Kart Club paddock racing and the Ashburton Motorcycle Club’s annual 200km ride.
Jacobs encouraged members of the public to get out and support the action happening during Wheels Week+ and enjoy what was being offered in the district.
‘‘Support the events, support the sponsors, make the most of this programme. It’s for public participation and viewing. Make the most of it,’’ he said.
– Full events programme is available online at www.wheelsweek.co.nz
