2026 · Australia
Calendar of the biggest American-car shows and muscle-car meets across Australia in 2026.
Canberra
2027 edition: 7–10 January 2027
Australia's signature street machine festival at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), famous for its burnout competition. Summernats 39 runs 7–10 January 2027.
Official website Details & programmeKandos (NSW, Central West)
Volunteer-run country show over the Australia Day long weekend, 24 and 25 January 2026, in the Central West NSW town of Kandos. Show n shine, burnout competition and grass events; in 2026 the burnout competition became a Pro Burnout Series qualifier for the first time.
Official website Details & programmeWodonga (VIC) - Wodonga Racecourse
33rd edition, 27 February to 1 March 2026, at the new venue of Wodonga Racecourse (Hamilton-Smith Drive) after more than ten years on Gateway Island. The largest Chrysler-marque event in the southern hemisphere: swap meet, driving events, judged competitions and entertainment.
Official website Details & programmeRockhampton
2027 edition: 2–4 April 2027
Street machine festival in and around Rockhampton's CBD with burnouts, drift and cruising. The 2026 edition ran 17–19 April; Rockynats 2027 is scheduled for 2–4 April.
Official website Details & programmeSydney (Rosehill Gardens)
NSW's largest hot rod and custom expo at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, blending elite hot rods and street machines with lowrider and kustom kulture.
Official websiteMelbourne / Sydney (rotates)
Indoor 'Meguiar's Superstars' show featuring Australia's highest-build customs and the House of Kolor hall.
Official website Details & programmeLaidley (QLD)
Two-day rockabilly and hot rod festival at Laidley Showgrounds, Queensland, Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 August 2026. American and Australian classics up to the 1970s, vintage and custom cruisers, live rock'n'roll and rockabilly all weekend, dancing, market stalls and food.
Official website Details & programmeSydney Motorsport Park (Eastern Creek)
The Apex Steel Muscle Car Masters at Sydney Motorsport Park, a weekend of Heritage and Group A/C touring-car racing built around classic Australian and American muscle.
Official website Details & programmeAlice Springs
Outback sister event to Summernats with go-to-whoa runs along the Stuart Highway.
Official websiteBeenleigh (QLD)
Annual swap meet and show n shine of the Eliminators Hot Rod & American Car Club at Beenleigh Showgrounds, Sunday 13 September 2026. Swap meet from 6am, show n shine from 8am, licensed bar from 10am, 20+ custom trophies. Free off-street parking via Milne Street. The club supports the Family and Kids Care Foundation in Logan.
Official website Details & programmeValla Beach / Nambucca Heads (NSW)
Week-long hot rod run organised by the Drag-ens Hot Rod Club since 1977, based at Valla Beach Holiday Park on the NSW Mid North Coast. The Saturday programme includes a parade from Valla Beach to Nambucca Heads and a Show & Shine in Bowra Street. The 47th edition ran in early October 2025; 2026 dates not found.
Official websiteVictorian Motorsport Park (Heathcote) & multi-track
Five-day drag-and-drive event for street-registered cars organised by Street Machine magazine. The 2026 route starts and finishes at Victorian Motorsport Park (formerly Heathcote Park Raceway) via South Coast Raceway Portland, Dragway at The Bend and Sunset Strip Mildura; entries sold out at 300.
Official websiteThis page lists 12 verified American car events in Australia for the 2026 season, running from January to October; every entry is backed by at least two independent sources. Each entry gives the city, the dates and the organiser's official link. Relative dates have been resolved against the real 2026 calendar; always confirm exact timings with the organiser before travelling.
The season opens with Summernats and closes with Street Machine Drag Challenge. The busiest month is January, with 2 events.
Events take place in Canberra, Kandos, Wodonga, Rockhampton, Sydney, Melbourne / Sydney, Laidley and Sydney Motorsport Park. Some are ticketed trade shows, others informal free gatherings; each entry states the format and links through to the official source.
Most gatherings welcome American vehicles of any generation, usually with prior registration through the organising club. Display conditions, fees and any vehicle age restrictions vary between events: check the official site linked on each entry.
Several organisers have already published their 2027 dates: Summernats (7–10 January 2027) and Rockynats (2–4 April 2027). They will move into the 2027 calendar as soon as it goes live.
Not every entry in this calendar works the same way. Understanding the format helps you pick the one that suits you, whether you are coming as a spectator or to display your own vehicle.
Of the 12 events listed here, there are 9 shows, 1 festival, 1 cruise and 1 drag event. That mix is specific to this country, and it shapes what kind of outing you can plan in each part of the season.
An indoor event, usually ticketed, with trade exhibitors, parts stands and vehicles displayed statically. This is the dominant format in winter.
A convoy of vehicles along an announced route, sometimes after dark. The appeal is seeing the cars moving rather than parked.
Timed runs on a straight line or track sessions on a circuit, with a show car park alongside the competition.
A spare-parts market, often attached to a show, where hard-to-source original components can be found.
| Month | Events | Example |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2 | Summernats |
| February | 1 | Chryslers on the Murray |
| April | 1 | Rockynats |
| May | 1 | Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo |
| July | 1 | MotorEx |
| August | 2 | Krome Rock N Rods |
| September | 2 | Red CentreNATS |
| October | 2 | Valla Beach Hot Rod Run |
Every event on this page is checked against at least two independent sources before publication: the organiser's official website, local press, or a club or federation calendar. Events whose 2026 edition could not be confirmed are removed from the list rather than carried over by default. Relative dates such as "first weekend of the month" are resolved into real dates using the 2026 calendar. Even so, an organiser may change or cancel a date after our last check: the official link on each entry remains the reference to consult before travelling.