Words: Kyle Cassidy | Photos: Kyle Cassidy
Published 15 March 2026
The National Kumeu Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival continues to draw the crowds each January. Now in its 32nd year, we went along to experience the sights, sounds and smells.
Late in January, West Auckland has a certain rumble in the air as the annual migration of classic metal motors toward Kumeu. For more than three decades, the showgrounds of the once rural township have hosted the National Kumeu Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival, a mecca for the faithful. As the name suggests, this show has a focus on rods and American classics, with a healthy injection of Aussie muscle.
The event is held over three days, things kicking off on Friday, and running over the weekend. However, being the summer of 2026, the show was cancelled on Sunday for the first time ever due to the weather and surface flooding. This year, we decided to head along on Friday afternoon to check the vibe. We’ve previously attended on Saturday, usually the biggest day, and it’s heaving with crowds. While the traffic is usually well managed, there are still queues to get into the parking paddocks. But not on Friday, you’re straight in and parked close to the entry point. The fee is $25, and not bad value. There are usually over 1000 cars and rods within the show itself, and many thousands more parked up in the public display.
Kumeu has its own culture. While attendees at some car shows walk around with a cup of their favourite caffeine fix, have nice white sneakers and pristinely manicured facial hair, the typical Kumeu goer has a bottle of their preferred hops clutched in the left hand, wear gnarly work boots and beards are scraggly affairs, some decades old. As the festival tag alludes to, those attending (as opposed to those just there for a look) settle in for the weekend, a caravan the gold standard for accommodation, while others pitch tents or throw a mattress in the back of the wagon. By the time we left around 3.30, some looked like they wouldn’t be needing anywhere comfortable to bed down as conversations were getting louder, noses getting redder. For this crowd, there’s nothing better than having a few and talking cars.
A big part of the festival is the swapmeet, rows upon rows of stalls selling all manner of stuff. Most of the wares are car related; engines, blowers, and other mechanical bits. Every year there are fewer old parts on offer as things become truly scarce. Especially if you are looking for something decent. Lots of it looks ready for the skip bin, but one person’s trash is another’s treasure as they say. We heard a couple of blokes, conversing between sips from their green bottles, say; “I hope there’s better shit here than last year.” “You’ve got to be quick to get a bargain,” we overheard some others saying, the offerings turned over quickly by those in the know. “I hope that chassis sells,” another show goer was overheard saying, “Dad’s never going to use that, and his shed is overloaded with crap.” A familiar story we are sure.
It’s a big show to walk around, some preferring to bring their own powered transportation to help take it in. Motorised chillybins are always popular, while a few home built specials were buzzing around the rows. A bbq table on the back of the pick up provides a good way to get around, while not interrupting the important conversation and flow of amber liquid.
Attending on Friday allows you freedom of movement but there are also fewer cars around. On the other side of the grounds are the Car Club Area and the Public Display.
For some the highlight of the festival is not what is in the show, but what is parked up in the public display area. Those that drive something cool, classic or custom are able to park up in the paddock just beyond the club displays. Here you’ll find rows and rows of enthusiast machinery, attendees usually packing it out on a sunny Saturday and Sunday. It’s an all sorts display; low riders, modern classics, Japanese cars, new muscle. It’s a good reminder that car culture is alive and well. But being a Friday, it was barely half full.
But without the crowds, it allows one to truly appreciate the cars in the Show Sheds. These are hand picked by organisers with a good selection of well presented cars on display. The theme is always to show a variety of cars here, where you have hot rods and pro street machines mixing it with well restored classics and the odd drag car too. It’s good to be able to spend a few moments appreciating the many hours and dollars invested in these cars, with meticulously detailed engine bays, with every bolt head aligned in OCD fashion.
The Mother’s Shine Award is deemed the best in show, judged by experts on engineering and finish, While the People’s Choice Award is voted on by the show goers, every entrant getting their say. A nice bonus for the owner; the winner becomes the poster car of the next event.
The Car Club Area has various regional hot rod chapters and clubs displaying their collective pride. There is always a good community vibe here, where the tribes gather.
There’s the usual commercial element too with the trade area having specialty stands offering everything from high-end tools to retro clothing and custom car parts. You can throw in live music, monster truck rides and BBQ competitions all mixing it with the high-octane perfume of unburnt hydrocarbons as drag cars start up and rev out.
The internal combustion engine may be facing a changing world, but in this corner of West Auckland, the V8 rumble is louder than ever.
