The Coromandel gears up for music, hot rods and good old-fashioned fun
Published on 17 March 2026
The sounds of engines and rock and roll are set to echo around Whangamatā as the Coromandel prepares to host two back-to-back celebrations of music, motors and community spirit.
Motorbike enthusiasts and live music fans will kick things off with the Kickdown Festival: Downtown Edition from 20–21 March, before tens of thousands of visitors roll into town the following week for the Repco Beach Hop from 25–29 March 2026.
Welcome from Mayor Peter Revell
“A warm welcome to all our Beach Hoppers and to our Kickdown festival goers joining us in Whangamatā the weekend before.
"We’re excited to be hosting two iconic events that capture the welcoming spirit of the Coromandel and the wonderful hospitality of our local businesses and volunteers that keep visitors coming back year after year.
“The iconic Repco Beach Hop has been running 26 years now – bringing generations together as it celebrates our district’s shared love of music and motoring and shines a spotlight on our vibrant communities and the unique coastal charm of our district.
“Thank you to the organisers, volunteers, local businesses, and residents who make Beach Hop possible. Enjoy the festivals everyone, drive safely, be kind and make the most of our beautiful coastal paradise.”
Kickdown is in Whangamatā this year with a special Downtown Edition that is bringing the motorbike action into the heart of town for two days of riding and live music, including the Friday night rally and prize giving.
Things will be busy, check out the road closure, do your part by driving safely and listen to the advice of the traffic marshals.
- Date: Friday 20 – Saturday 21 March
- Road closure: Port Road between the Aickin Road and Lincoln Road intersections will be closed from 2–10pm on both days.
Traffic returns to normal at 10pm.
Established in 2000, this iconic rock'n'roll festival draws the crowds with its high-octane mix of rock’n’roll, retro fashion and vintage cars. Bands, hot rods, classic cars and caravans, motorbikes, and a vintage market are just some of the attractions that will bring the town alive.
The Power Cruise takes the fun to Pāuanui on Thursday, the Thunder Cruise visits Onemana on Friday, then the action is centred in Whangamatā for the rest of the weekend.
If you’re out and about, be mindful of the classic cars and drive safely around town - there will be thousands of extra people in the district. Traffic marshals will be on the job helping to keep cars and people safe – please follow their directions and check out the road closures below.
A message from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA)
"Motorists should expect SH25 and SH25A to be busier than usual as people travel to Repco Beach Hop from Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 March. Drivers are advised to avoid SH2 Karangahake Gorge if possible as there is a single-lane closure with stop/go traffic management due to major recovery works happening within the Gorge. If you are travelling through the Karangahake Gorge while works continue, plan your journey outside peak times where possible, and follow all signage and instructions on site. You can plan ahead for your journey by checking out the NZTA journey planner. Thanks to everyone for their patience while the work is underway."
Whangamatā Road closures
Wednesday 25 March 2026 | Thursday 26 March 2026
7.00am – 11.00am
• Ocean Road closed from Lowe Street to Williamson Road
• Resident access maintained through closure points
• Detour via Lowe Street, Mary Street and Williamson Road
Friday 27 March 2026
• No road closures
Saturday 28 March 2026
• One-way closure on Chartwell from 10.20am – 1pm (may be upgraded to a 2-way stop and go)
7.00am – 5.00pm
• Port Road closed from Ocean Road to Hetherington Road
• No vehicle/business access (cars will be parked on both lanes of the road)
10.20am – 5.00pm
• Port Road closed from Hetherington Road (last roundabout) to Tuck Road (new closure for 2026 event)
• No vehicle/business access (cars will be parked on both lanes of the road)
From 5.00pm
Port Road reopens but with no entry between Ocean Rd and Hetherington Rd
Kerbside collections and recycling during the Repco Beach Hop
Your regular kerbside collections will be running as usual over the event. This means that your mixed recycling, glass crate and food scraps bins will be emptied on Monday or Tuesday before the event, and your tagged rubbish bin and food scraps bin will be emptied the Monday or Tuesday following the event.
No additional kerbside collections will take place over Beach Hop.
If you’re expecting a little extra rubbish and recycling during the festival, all our local Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations (RTS) are open 8.30am to 5.30pm daily. Check out tcdc.govt.nz/rts
If you're not going to be at your property on collection day, please consider using your local RTS to drop off your rubbish.
Nearest Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station:
- 2741 Waihī Whangamatā Road (SH25)
- Open 8.30am – 5.30pm daily
- Phone: 07 865 9723
We’re anticipating thousands of extra visitors to Whangamatā, which in turn means a large increase in water use in the area. To help us manage our networks and make sure there is enough water for everyone, please conserve water where possible:
- Use a bucket to wash cars and don’t leave the hose running continuously, which wastes water.
- A reminder, Whangamatā is a coastal town, so any cleaning products, detergents etc. used for car washing have a quick and direct path to the ground and the sea via our stormwater network.
- Please wash your cars on the lawn to soak up the water.
More information:
Find out more and buy tickets for Kickdown Find out about Repco Beach Hop