Beach Hop: Festival to provide cash-injection for Coromandel

Repco Beach Hop is back for a 2023 edition that promises to provide all the usual petrol-head fun, 50s through to 60s nostalgia, plus a much-needed cash injection for the beleaguered Coromandel.

The Repco Beach Hop is New Zealand’s No. 1 nostalgia festival that celebrates the zeitgeist of the 50s and 60s through car parades, live music, and fashion shows.

Sandy Dee (Sandra Strickland, left) and Miss Polly Rose (Hollie Henderson) at the Vintage Pinup Show at Ford Reserve during Repco Beach Hop 2022. Photo / Alison Smith

Covid disruptions meant last year’s Beach Hop was pushed out to November, but this well-received event is back to its original March schedule kicking off on Wednesday the 22nd and running until Sunday, March 26.

A full schedule is planned, starting with the Go Waihi warmup party on Wednesday, March 22, held at the Recpo Garage.

On Thursday will be the Repco Power Cruise around the Coromandel Loop (Whangamata-Waihi-Paeroa-Thames-Coromandel-Whitianga-Tairua-Whangamata.) Drivers can also do the loop in reverse. Each entrant’s vehicle will be timed, but it’s not a race and drivers can complete it at their own pace. A random time will be drawn from those who complete the loop, and the closest to the time will win $5000 cash.

On Friday, the Hop heads to Onemana for the Castrol Edge Thunder Cruise. There will also be Rock’n’Roll Dancing Lessons at the Whangamata Club, an NZ Petrolhead Vintage Market, and Hop Idol Heats.

Last year's Beach Hop in Thames. Photo / Alison Smith

The weekend features the traditional grand parade at 9.30am followed by an action-packed day including Cool Classic Car & Boat Show, the Meguiars Main St Car Show, Whanga Books Tot Rod Show, Repco Pre 1949 Hot Rod Show, Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Show and the Retro Caravan Show.

A huge $50,000 cash giveaway is also on the cards for attendees who buy the festival programme, which will be on sale during the festival from many businesses around Whangamata.

Beach Hop organiser Graeme "Noddy" Watts. Photo / Alison Smith

Organiser Graeme “Noddy” Watts said the Beach Hop was “all on track”, but with the Coromandel’s highways in a precarious state, Watts is asking “drivers to be patient and careful on our roads. They are safe but there may be the odd speed restriction or one-way area”.

“A shout-out to the roading agencies for getting things sorted so quickly!”

For more info go to the 2023 Repco Beach Hop website https://beachhop.co.nz/