Chevs, Fords, Holdens, customs, motorbikes – whatever takes your fancy will be parked up at Katikati's Diggelmann Park this Easter Saturday, April 15, as the Happy Days car show rolls back into town.

The annual classic car and hotrod event is coming back to the main street site and is guranteed to rev up interest among locals and visitors alike, with owners of all makes, models and sizes invited to park up their beauties from 8.30am.

'All cars come onto the park at the front – and there's no damage to vehicles because we've built special ramp for them to get over the kerb.”

The public then gets to enter the show from 9.30am – via gold coin donation – to see all of the ‘ladies' lined up.

Organiser Allan Smith says last year the event attracted 97 cars and crowds of people – this year he expects the same.

'Every year it seems to be getting bigger,” says Allan.

'I think the Happy Days name has started to spread – and we're getting a lot larger variety of vehicles coming into the country now, so we're getting a larger variety turning up to the show too,” says Allan.

Trophies will be awarded to the Best Ford, Best Chev, Best Mopar, Best Australian car and Best British car, Best Hotrod, and Best Pickup Truck.

'We also have a people's choice award so the public can choose their favourite car – and we have a best other category for anything strange that might turn up.”

And while people and cars also come from far and wide – including from Hamilton, Auckland, Waiuku, Tauranga and Whakatane and Rotorua – the show is not only for the men.

Allan says this year he's introducing a Best Dressed competition for lady show-goers, so they can dress up in rock ‘n' roll theme – like they do at many other car shows around.

But Happy Days is for the whole family – with food and drink for sale to fill tummies and local band Fortify the Skies – made up of piece Louie Campbell, Andrew Hanagen and Tenneille Davis – providing live entertainment throughout the show.

'The food and drink stall will hopefully be manned by Katikati Playcentre for its own fundraising efforts,” says Allan.

And gate proceeds will also be gifted to two local charities or commuity groups. 'We'd like to find the local groups that need it most,” says Allan. Those interested in sponsorship can phone Allan on 027 442 4660.

After-show entertainment is on at the Talisman Hotel, with a monthly Sunday morning breakfast there too – with local car enthusiasts encouraging any newbies or visitors to come along from 8am-11am.

The 7^th annual Happy Days car show at Diggelmann Park, Main Rd, Katikati, on Easter Saturday, April 15, is open from 8.30am for cars entering the show, and 9.30am onwards for the public. Entry for cars and people is a gold coin donation.