Preparations are continuing for Bright's 34th Rod Run, but some major changes have presented additional challenges, prompting the organising not-for-profit Bright Rod and Kustom Club to consolidate it's weekend into a one-day event on Sunday 8 November. Club treasurer Mike Dealy said the club was no longer able to use the main oval at Pioneer Park to stage the show and shine, nor use the adjoining netball courts to stage its marquee for Saturday's evening's dinner and entertainment. "We've had to pivot a fair bit and we've been working with Alpine Shire Council around new arrangements for use of the park," Mr Dealy said. "We were no longer able to use the oval, or courts, because of concerns council had raised about potential damage to the assets. "With the court no longer available, logistical costs for alternative sites for the marquee were too prohibitive so we won't have a Saturday evening event." Mr Dealy said council had been sowing grass at an area between the tennis courts and pony club to accommodate the show n' shine event on Sunday, which will again be complemented by the Bright Rotary Market with stalls around the site. "The new grass area is looking pretty good so far...we'll have a bitumen on-ramp for vehicles to access the grassed showing area, as these are very expensive vehicles and we don't want owners to have to be driving on dirt roads," he said. "The change of location means we have to cap show n' shine entries at 300...we usually get between 350 to 400, with our largest ever being 520 entries." Bright Rod Run is largely regarded as Alpine Shire's single biggest tourism event, last year attracting an estimated 15,000 people over the weekend, with more than 6000 at the actual show n' shine on Sunday, and many more enjoying the 'unofficial' weekend attractions of a constant flow of hot rods doing laps and parking in Bright's CBD. Council will again oversee the 'street' component, with $60,000 budgeted in its 2026/27 budget to support traffic management, risk mitigation, facility, and waste management costs in the Bright CBD, which also has alcohol restrictions in place. A poker run, as well as a cruise event in support of MND, are being organised by individuals for Saturday 7 November: further details will be posted in coming weeks on the website Brightrodrun.com.au
