Inaugural Havasu Hot Rodz Show
Feb 26-28, 2026 At Lake Havasu City Rotary Park, AZ
Photos & Story by Chris Addington March 16, 2026
It’s the last week of February—it must be time for all the “Kool” Hot Rodz and classics to gather in Havasu. In past years, the baton was carried by the Havasu Deuce team, but in the spirit of keeping our automotive culture alive, a new team has retooled this event and taken it to a new level. The Havasu Hot Rodz team is made up of many local, regional, and national classic car enthusiasts. Thank you to Rik Jimerson and his team of dedicated motorheads for leading the succession. The team, including the Over the Hill Gang, Pharoah’s, and other local groups, worked to keep the event’s classic feel while adding new elements that make this one you don’t want to miss. This author has attended many past events, and Rik and his team deserve kudos for keeping the foundation while adding fresh touches that will carry this event forward for another 10 years.
This event is held during the last week of February and is becoming a tradition for motorheads, as well as the season kickoff for the region. Thank you for expanding the eligible years to include vehicles through ’72. Let’s hope that continues, as many kool rides hitting the streets are post-’72. Participants, many driving their classics in cruise-style groups from across multiple states, come together to pay tribute to “Hot Rodz.” Did you know there are more classic cars in Havasu than you might expect? When I drive around town and see a garage door open, there’s always a classic I haven’t seen before. It seems every garage in Havasu holds hot rods, big boats, RVs, and off-road rigs.
Registration was held at the Quality Inn, with great parking and easy access to the registration area—a perfect venue. It’s always a great time to reconnect with old friends, and registration has become a tradition in itself. There were plenty of shirts for ladies, men, and kids, along with full goodie bags packed with kool items. That was just the start of the day, as “Havasu Hot Rodz Downtown” followed later. McCulloch Blvd was closed off, filling downtown Havasu with hot rods and classics for everyone to enjoy. Parking was efficient with no issues, thanks to the city’s support. Throughout the day, nearly four thousand spectators could be seen walking through at any given time, with even more in the afternoon. We were parked across from the new park, which provided a great backdrop. Thank you to Lake Havasu City for embracing motorhead culture and giving us a place to enjoy our pride and joy.
Friday is one of this author’s favorite parts of the celebration—the chance to tour some of the koolest garages, showrooms, and shops in Havasu, all over the top to say the least. The Over the Hill Gang had everything dialed in, with minimal traffic and smooth flow. With 10 standout garages and staggered start times, parking and access were easy, allowing everyone to enjoy the day. I was able to see every garage and, as always, was impressed. Thank you to the owners for sharing their spaces—this will always be a highlight of the event. I always come away with new ideas for my own garage, shop, or showroom. HHR also provided participants with a garage tour map, along with a list of local eateries—“Eat Where the Locals Go”—featuring motorhead favorites throughout Havasu.
Saturday’s car show was a home run, held at the grass ballfields at Rotary Park in Lake Havasu City with easy access in and out. There were plenty of vendors, including food and hot rod merchandise, making it easy to take a break between checking out nearly 400 classic cars. This event will definitely grow—I wouldn’t be surprised to see 500 cars next year. The team brought back valve cover racing, which was well attended. The awards wrapped up the day, with drawings and over 100 awards handed out. This event is in the books. Don’t miss it next year—this is quickly becoming one of the best events west of the Mississippi!
