Photo credit: Samantha Gee/RNZ
There’s nothing quite like seeing a line-up of vintage cars cruising around Nelson, and in March, we were lucky enough to enjoy just that during the Vero International Festival of Historical Motoring 2026.
Running from 15–21 March, the festival brought a real buzz to the region, with more than 500 vehicles, some dating back to the early 1900s, out and about for the week. It was a chance for the community to come together, admire these incredible cars, and soak up the atmosphere.
Our Volunteer and Events Coordinator, Vick Sharp, was right in the middle of it.
“I loved seeing all the ‘old fashioned cars’ tootling around Nelson,” she says. “It was such a great week.”
Vick also pitched in behind the scenes, helping the Isel Floral Art Group with table settings and flowers for the evening events, a small way to give back to groups who support us throughout the year.
On the Saturday, she spent time “shaking the bucket” while people enjoyed rides in the vintage cars, raising an awesome $1,519.50 for Cancer Society Nelson Tasman.
Then came the surprise.
After the event wrapped up, the Nelson Vintage Car Club got in touch to let us know they’d be donating their gate takings too – an incredible $10,000.
“I was blown away,” says Vick. “We’re very touched, it means a lot to us, and we’ll put it to good use.”
Led by Ray Robertson, the festival attracted thousands of visitors to the public display, and the support shown well and truly exceeded expectations. It brought many new visitors to the region and delivered an incredible cash injection into the local economy.
What makes this even more special is that the Vintage Car Club are long-time supporters of our work. Every year for Daffodil Day, they host a Car Rally Show & Shine and help deliver our corporate daffodil bouquets to local businesses, making sure those bright yellow bunches reach workplaces right across the region.
It’s support like this that helps us continue to be there for people and whānau affected by cancer in Nelson Tasman.
To everyone involved – thank you. To Nelson Vintage Car Club, we’re so very proud to have you as part of our wider Cancer Society whānau – thank you.
Thanks to Top South Now for the article in Nelson Weekly Wednesday 29 April 2026.
