Alcohol restrictions will again be implemented in Bright town centre and Pioneer Park for this year's Bright Rod Run, with Alpine Shire Council to continue to manage the informal gathering in the town centre and surrounding areas, where many attendees display their vehicles and congregate in public spaces.

Councillors recently discussed arrangements for one of the biggest long weekends in Bright, with Bright Rod and Kustom Club to stage their formal ticketing event at Pioneer Park on 6-8 of November, again expecting to attract hundreds of vehicles and more than 10,000 visitors.

In line with other years, council will implement alcohol restrictions in Bright town centre and Pioneer Park from 10pm Thursday, 5 November to 7am Monday, 9 November.

Council will also manage the informal Bright CBD aspects of the 2026 event to improve traffic management, reduce risk and support emergency services access.

Prominent temporary signage and advertising will be used to ensure the alcohol restriction designation is well communicated to event attendees and to discourage anti-social and hoon behaviour, as it was considered arrangements to support the 2025 event were effective in reducing these behaviours.

Bright police reported last year the dry zone (no public alcohol) in Bright’s CBD was respected with no infringement notices issued, and the vast majority of road users were well behaved, with only two drivers' having their vehicles impounded.

Council has allocated $60,000 in its 2026/27 budget to coordinate the town centre-based aspects of the weekend, which includes traffic management, compliance, facilities cleaning and waste management, with a focus on public safety and amenity.

Councillors were informed the actual costs to council for last year's event was $73,310 which comprised: $5550 council wages, $30,204 traffic management, $4000 risk management plan, $27,343 waste management, $3040 damaged council assets, and $1173 incidental costs.

In addition to direct costs, council estimated a further $8000 was provided by in-kind support by council staff.