For Caroline Bay Rock and Hop, 2026 marked a huge milestone, celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The nostaligic celebration of cars, caravans and motorbikes spanned four days in March 2026, with a variety of events including Gala Day at Caroline Bay, Laps at Levels, Friday Cruises and Friday Night Casino Night, a Rock Your Socks Off dance and Car Boot Sale.
Caroline Bay Rock and Hop continues to capture hearts far and wide, with attendees travelling from all corners of New Zealand, and this year they were thrilled to welcome 20 Rock ’n’ Roll dancers from Australia.
Organised by Hospice South Canterbury, events and marketing manager Kim Rogers, says time and time again people tell them this is the best car show they’ve ever been to. She says best of all, the event once again delivered where it matters most, with an incredible $177,000 was raised for Hospice South Canterbury, proving that Rock and Hop is not only a crowd‑favourite celebration, but also a powerful fundraiser supporting local palliative patients and their families.
On top of this, an event calculator report by Infometrics for Caroline Bay Rock and Hop 2026 showed an economic impact for the community of approximately $2.8m turnover, $1.5m contribution to GDP and $769,070 to household income.
The reports says that the average spend per person per day of the visitors from out of the district was $425, with locals spending, on average, $295 per day. This money was spent on accommodation, restaurants and bars, food from stores, other retail, transportation and fuel.
Caroline Bay Rock and Hop brings almost $3m to Timaru District | The Press
