Six-year-old Joby Engleberger-Goble was all smiles as he watched the cars roll in to Stratford on Friday. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Six-year-old Joby Engleberger-Goble was all smiles as he watched the cars roll in to Stratford on Friday. Photo / Ilona Hanne
With more than 500 cars parked along Broadway and Miranda Streets on Friday morning, there was something for everyone when Americarna roared into the town.
Joby Engleberger-Goble, 6, was enjoying seeing all the cars, and was torn between two particular ones when asked if he had a favourite one.
"Thered Chevrolet and my uncle's big green ute are both the best ones here."
The red one Joby was admiring was an impressive 2020 Chevrolet and Joby said it was "just about as good" as his uncle Colin and aunty Shelly Pope's green ute which was also entered in Americarna this year.
Ann Schrider was delighted to see a genuine ex-police Dodge Monaco parked in Stratford on Friday. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Ann Schrider was delighted to find an authentic American police car parked along Broadway as she looked at the cars.
"I love all the old American police shows and want to go to America one day to see some of the cars myself."
Ann was wearing a highway patrol T-shirt and badge herself and was happy to pose for a photo besides a Dodge Monaco on Broadway. The car in question was an ex-police car in the States which was sold to a retiring Minnesota police officer for the grand sum of $1.
Hunter Smaller, 2, was enjoying looking at all the cars with his Nana Rara. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Hunter Smaller, 2, also enjoyed a close up look at some of the cars as he and his nana "nana Rara" enjoyed looking at the cars.
Robin Love was one of the Stratford Lions Club members selling hot dogs on the day. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Members of the Stratford Lions were kept busy all morning selling hot dogs and taking people on tours of the glockenspiel.
Nola McMillan, Patsy Commerford and Amanda Brady were ready to take visitors on a tour of the TET Kings Theatre. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Tours of the glockenspiel weren't the only tours on offer, with volunteers also taking people on tours of the TET King's Theatre on Broadway. Tour guides Nola McMillan, Patsy Commerford and Amanda Brady were ready and waiting to show people around the historic theatre in town, which was the first in New Zealand to show a talking movie back in the 1920s. Patsy says the theatre is grateful to the Taranaki Electricity Trust for the continued support that enables the theatre to keep operating over 100 years after it first opened.
She says the theatre was built for a total of 8000 pounds in 1916-17, "which was a lot of money back then, especially with a war going on"
The theatre could hold 720 people when it first opened she says. While Covid-19 is currently causing theatres all over the world to temporarily close their doors at times, this isn't the first pandemic the TET King's Theatre has survived, says patsy.
"During the influenza pandemic the theatre was fumigated twice daily to keep people safe."
Marilyn Milne had come from Tauranga for Americarna this year in her 1951 Ford Victoria. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Marilyn Milne from Tauranga was staying sun smart with the help of an elegant parasol as she enjoyed a stroll in the sunshine. She came to Taranaki in her 1951 Ford Victoria, a car she says was bought after she experienced her first Americarna in a friend's car a few years ago.
"We enjoyed it so ended up buying our own car and have come twice since then."
She says she enjoys everything about the event, including the opportunity to dress up in style.
"My friend and I always dress up, it's part of the fun."
Pupils from St Joseph's Stratford gave the cars a big thumbs up as they walked around admiring the wide range of American cars on show. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Pupils from St Joseph's school were among the many school children enjoying the sunshine, atmosphere and cars on the day, giving the event a big thumbs up as they walked back to school.
