The blue and white high-performance V8 sports cars set off from Auckland yesterday and are expected to arrive at a location to be announced in downtown Queenstown at 1pm on Friday. The letters are addressed to Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes and wish the community well for the debut event.
The Cobras will also bring former All Black captain and Prostate Cancer Foundation supporter Stu Wilson to town for the weekend's festivities.
The extravaganza opens on Friday with the Jacks Pt Car Cruise through the Wakatipu Basin between 6.30pm and 9pm. Tickets cost $15 per person and must be purchased on the event's website before the display.
The main public event of the show is the Rilean Car Show outside the Queenstown Events Centre on Saturday.
The show will host all styles of cars, from veteran and vintage through to hot rods and street cars. There will also be trade stands and a car sale yard.
The Vincent Holdings Concours d'Elegance will feature 50 rare and beautiful automobiles inside the centre. A 1912 Fiat Spider, 1930 V16 Cadillac, 1932 V12 Packard and 1969 Ford GT 40 will be among the machines on display.
Car show entry costs $10 per person or $25 per family of two adults and two children. Entry is free for children under 6.
The cost to enter a show car is $10 and cars must be registered by 6.30pm on Friday.
A Rock 'n' Roll Dance Party, starring Tom Sharplin and the Cadillacs, takes place at Coronet Peak on Saturday evening. Tickets are still available at Collective Hair Design, on Beach St.
Hundreds of dancers will put their best feet forward to win the $5000 first prize in the Grease-style dance competition.
A flight for two to Auckland for a personal one-on-one training session with Wilson and fellow former All Black captain Buck Shelford, also a foundation spokesman, will be available as a prize.
Queenstown artist Kate Wilson has donated a large painting, titled Scottish Thunder, to be auctioned at the party. Dedicated to two of her friends who battled cancer last year, the stage concert scene depicts Scottish rocker Rod Stewart and friends performing.
"I have created this painting especially for tonight and I believe that every contribution helps in the fight against this horrific disease, which has claimed too many of our loved ones, including my husband many years ago," Ms Watson said. "I loved painting this lively scenario of Rod and friends, with his music and DVD blaring away and a glass of wine in hand, and feel I have caught a happy atmosphere on stage."
On Sunday, the event concludes with the Brazier Scaffolding 1/8th-mile sprint featuring the biggest and fastest cars of the show. Spectator cost is $10 and sprint car entry $50.
