Lots of excited Summernats attendees at Assembly on Lonsdale Street before the festival’s gates opened. Photos: James Day.
The streets of Canberra have rumbled to life for the new year as motoring enthusiasts from around the country flock to the capital for Summernats 37.
Kicking off today (2 January) and concluding on Sunday (5 January), the four-day festival will host a range of events that celebrate the internal combustion engine and burn rubber.
While there were questions about whether the festival would continue to be held in Canberra after last year’s ugly brawl, an internal review has led to increased security designed to quell public concerns.
Summernats head of marketing and communications Adrian Hodgeson reassured patrons the sell-out event would host a new security provider with the capacity and experience to meet the annual car festival’s needs.
“The advice was that we needed significantly more security, and the company that we’ve engaged has that capacity,” Mr Hodgeson said at the event launch last month.
“They also have the experience in delivering not just large-scale events but events and venues that are spread out over a big footprint, and Exhibition Park certainly presents that challenge.
“We’re really confident that they can do the job.”
It wasn’t just ACT Policing that was disappointed by last year’s brawl; some of the crowds that witnessed the violence were also dismayed.
“We were right there, and that … just spoils it for everyone,” said one of the patrons at Assembly in Braddon.
Another said last year’s event reminded him of the Bathurst 1000 in the past, which used to be “where people were burning cars and throwing stuff at the cops”.
“But now it’s more family-oriented, and you can safely take your kids and wife there while not feeling like you’re gonna be yelled at.”
Another attendee said their main focus was to “see some burnouts and a few nice rides”. However, the parade of cruising vehicles was what “everyone loves turning out for”.
“I’ve heard talk of it being cancelled this year, but it brings a lot of money to the ACT – especially at this time of year when everybody’s on the coast,” he said.
“I only do it because it’s down here. I come down, it’s a different world for a week and then I go back into reality.”
Last year’s event attracted 47,000 people from outside the territory and drew 130,000 attendees, injecting more than $43 million into the economy.
The arrival of Summernats brings with it road closures for the duration of the festival, while ACT Transport is modifying public transport timetables.
Lonsdale Street and sections of Mort Street and Elouera Street will be closed from 3 pm to 12 am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (2 to 4 January) for the Summernats Fringe Festival, which is being held on Lonsdale Street in Braddon from 5 pm until 11 pm.
Flemington Road will also be closed between the Federal Highway and Randwick Road from:
- 7 am to 11:59 pm on Thursday (2 January)
- 7 am on Friday (3 January) to 1 am on Saturday (4 January)
- 7 am on Saturday (4 January) to 1 am on Sunday (5 January)
- 7 am to 7 pm on Sunday (5 January).
Today’s program includes lawn mower racing, while tomorrow there’ll be high-flying fun with the Paul Bennett Air Show and a killer concert to wrap up the day featuring Jet, Night Train, Thirsty Merc and Eskimo Joe.
On Saturday (3 January) there’ll be the Country Trucker Caps Mulletfest and Summernats Supercruise. Closing out the festival will be the finals for several competitions and a grand champion parade.
For more information, visit Summernats.
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