British invasion this October

Come and celebrate the motherland at the Brits on the Beach Festival returning to Whangamata on the first weekend of October.

The annual festival will be packed with classic cars and motorbikes, good grub, and village fete styled entertainment.


The annual Brits at the Beach Festival returns to Whangamata this October.

Organiser Colin McCabe says the festival keeps growing from strength to strength and this year will be no exception.

'Last year we estimated up to 15,000 people showed up which was great. We offer punters so much that people can go from one thing to another, to another, and so on.”

The festival began in Tairua in 2009 but shifted to Whangamata last year to accommodate the increase in people attending.

Colin says there were about 620 registered vehicles for the 2013 event which was double than the previous year.

The main draw card for the festival are the classic cars and motorcycles and so far the makes of vehicles registered include Jaguar, MG, Mini, plus Triumph and BSA motorcycles.

The oldest car coming is a 1911 Humbrette, while the most popular year for registered cars is 1965, with about 40 heading to the festival.

From the late 40's to the early 70's, 99 per cent of cars that came into New Zealand were from the United Kingdom, he says.

'There's a history of families driving these cars, we often hear people say ‘Oh dad drove these back in the day'.

'Brits at the Beach goers want to see cars and motorcycles how they were when they rolled onto the showroom floor.”

The festival is also much more than cars and Colin says there's plenty of entertainment on offer.

A small sample includes a Whisky Dinner on Thursday, a jaunt to Grahamstown on Friday, the Grand Parade and Village Fete on Saturday, then it's all topped off with a Sunday Drive.

Chilren will also be happy during Saturday's Village Fete with plenty of games, a mini-putt competition plus a Sherlock Holmes treasure hunt.

'The Village Fete features good grub, fete games, stalls and all of the cars and bikes on show. That's the big crowd pleaser.”

There are also spot prizes to be given away.

Brits on the Beach is fancy dress event and one lucky costumed punter will win a $1000 prize.

This year they will also be giving away an MGF Sports Car.

All profits generated by the sale of programmes will be donated to the Tairua Information Centre.

Colin says the festival was formed in 2009 to boost economic development in the area and to support local community groups.

In 2013, the Village Fete raised $1000 for the Whangamata Junior Soccer Club. This year the Whangamata Pony Club are lining up, he says.

'We also donate money to Lions who help us out, plus the local area school whose kids are involved in the Maypole dance during the village fete.

'I estimate that last year there was up to $7000 donated back into the community, so we're hoping for more this year.”

Along with bringing smiles to the faces festival goers, the Brits at the Beach is also doing plenty for local business.

They conducted a survey at last year's event which they supplied to the Thames Coromandel District Council to assess.

'They crunched the numbers and estimated the event brought in at least $2 million to the community.

'That compares to Beach Hop and for its first go in Whangamata I think that is pretty good.”

Colin says this year's event is sponsored Classic Cover Insurance, Powerco, Kool FM and Autoglym.

Brits at the Beach are always on the lookout for more sponsors and if businesses want to get involved they are most welcome to get in touch, Colin says.

The Brits at the Beach Festival returns to Whangamata from October 2-5.

For more information or to register visit www.britsatthebeach.co.nz

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