AmeriCARna 2026 kicks off

The rumble of V8 engines has officially taken over Taranaki. Nearly 700 classic, vintage, and modern American vehicles roared out of New Plymouth's TSB Stadium on Wednesday morning. The mass departure marks the start of the highly anticipated AmeriCARna 2026 festival. Leaving the city at 10:30am, the massive convoy cruised down Surf Highway 45 for the first official run of the year. Their destination is Opunake Beach, where the cars are parked up for the afternoon so the public can admire the polished chrome and heavy machinery. South Taranaki District Council events co-ordinator Ella Tosland said the region was ready for the influx of motoring enthusiasts. She noted that with the huge number of registrations this year, the beach and surrounding streets are expected to be packed with spectators. Beach Road in Opunake is closed to all regular traffic to make room for the impressive lineup. Anyone heading down for a look is asked to use the public parking at the top of the road or on adjacent side streets. Locals have until 2:30pm to check out the vehicles before the convoy fires up again. The drivers will then head back up the coast to New Plymouth for an official welcome function at TSB Stadium, complete with food trucks and live entertainment. Wednesday's coastal run is just the warm-up for a busy week of automotive action. On Thursday, the convoy will spend time in both Waitara and Inglewood. Friday brings the noise to Central and South Taranaki, featuring a morning stop in Stratford before the cars roll into Hāwera. Hāwera residents can expect a packed High Street and the return of the popular acceleration event on Albion Street from 2:30pm. That event will see drivers test their speed over an 80-metre sprint. The four-day festival wraps up on Saturday with the AmeriCARnival in the New Plymouth CBD. Devon Street will be entirely closed to traffic to display the full fleet. Organisers have also added a new Tractor Edition showcase for Saturday, highlighting a range of vintage and modern American farm machinery alongside the cars.