Promoters of Ashburton’s iconic Wheels Week Plus are calling for Mid Canterbury to get on board with wheels-based events to add to their extended programme.
It will run between April 27 and May 19.
The annual event, which can see up to 20,000 people visit and inject up to $150,000 each year into the district, is where anything and everything with wheels is showcased.
Wheels Week Plus committee member Peter Jacobs said the programme had been extended this year due to a change of date for the Ashburton Car Club’s street sprints.
They were two weeks earlier than usual, on April 27 and 28, and first up on the wheels week programme. The Rotary Club of Ashburton Plains classic car run was next on April 28, he said.
Wheels Week included national titles being vied for at the speed way, and people from throughout the South Island attending the popular Ashburton Vintage Car Club swap meet.
‘‘We had four and a half thousand people there last year, and that’s just for a Saturday,’’ Jacobs said.
There were events planned for most of the four weekends, although the programme was still a work in progress, he said.
The swap meet, speedway, the Americar Custom Car Club and The Originals motorcycle show and shine were set to run on May 4, there was a motorkhana on May 5, and night trials on May 8, he said.
‘‘We have got events already locked and loaded for Saturday (May) 18th, that’s the Ashburton Car Club quarter mile sprints, and we are also looking at the go karts having their normal Sunday on the third Sunday of each month.’’
‘‘We are looking for events to take up the spaces and just to make it a good month of activities for Ashburton.
‘‘It could be during the week. We have got night trials on a Wednesday night week, we’ve got a garage visits (in the planning) taking two or three mini buses of interested people to somebody’s shed.
“It could be full of racing cars, classic cars, motorbikes, vintage machinery, tractors.
‘‘It’s just trying to cater to people.
‘‘We want to hear from schools, car clubs, groups, anything to do with wheels that would like to be a part of wheels week to promote their club/group for fundraising or activities to get their name out there.
‘‘People need to organise, plan and run their own events and we will help them publicise it and incorporate it into wheels week.’’
He said it could be a community event, or even a contractor versus contractor competition.
Emergency services opening their spaces to the community would also be good, he said.
The ideas were endless and included spinning wheel displays, mobility scooter racing, vehicles of every shape and size on show, dress up your bike events, skating, scooters, mountainbike events, road safety days, cartwheel showcases or business battles such as a tyre changing competition.
‘‘Something that is going to be fun (or interesting). You are going to get crowds, it’s going to pull people into Ashburton and inject money into Mid Canterbury,’’ he said.
Í Anyone interested in hosting an event within the Wheels Week Plus programme from April 27 to May 19 can contact Peter Jacobs directly on 0274 712 109.
