Brewtown brings back Bogan Day Out for 2026

Upper Hutt’s loudest and proudest celebration is back. Bogan Day Out 2026 returns to Brewtown on Saturday March 14 from 12pm–8pm, promising a full-throttle day of music, motors, mullets and mayhem – headlined this year by the ultimate bogan love story: My Big Bad Bogan Wedding.

After a hugely successful debut last year, Bogan Day Out has cemented itself as a tongue-in-cheek celebration of Upper Hutt’s long-standing “bogan” reputation, flipping the stereotype on its head and turning it into a week-long badge of honour leading up to the main event.

Brewtown General Manager Phil Gorman says this year the team wanted to raise the bar.

“In what might be the most Upper Hutt sentence ever written, Brewtown went on the hunt for a never-been-married, 100 percent authentic bogan couple to tie the knot live at Bogan Day Out – in front of thousands of uninvited bogans.

“We came up with the idea  to host a real wedding at the event. The fun of it is that there would be thousands of uninvited bogan guests at their ceremony. Over the past six weeks we’ve been seeking registrations from fully bogan couples who’ve been together for years, never married for whatever reason, and felt it was finally time.”

After more than 50 applications, Hutt locals Bekz Clarke and Hayden Ward were selected.

“They’re the perfect couple and fit the brief brilliantly,” Gorman says. “Bekz is an absolute character and so grateful for the opportunity to marry her love. They couldn’t think of anything better than getting married at Bogan Day Out to the sounds of AC/DC on the main stage. They’re going to make it something pretty special.”

On March 14, Bekz and Hayden will exchange vows surrounded by roaring engines, chilli-eating champions and a sea of flannelette, with AC/DC tribute anthems ringing out across the venue.

Brewtown and local sponsors have covered almost everything – from Bekz’s wedding dress and the couple’s rings to flowers, accommodation and even a wedding trike to deliver them in style. The celebrant is, fittingly, fully bogan and specialises in bogan weddings.

Reflecting on their selection, Bekz and Hayden said “We are so grateful to Brewtown for this epic opportunity! The only reason we aren’t married is the cost. Especially when we have way too many mates (Bogan crews!). Bekz dad is in heart failure and won’t be around much longer…her dad would love it if she was ‘Hayden’s problem from now on’ before he passes away.”

For just $35, Bogan Day Out delivers a packed programme of entertainment and unapologetic bogan brilliance.

The main stage will feature a full line-up of tribute acts including Squealer – AC/DC Experience, Black Knight – Deep Purple Homage, Spiral Out – Tool Tribute, Megalomaniacs – A Salute to Black Sabbath, and Hells Wrath –  A God Damn Pantera Show.

The Fire Dragon Chillies NZ Chilli Eating Championship will once again test the brave, while the Best Dressed Bogan and Maddest Mullet competitions will run in both adult and junior categories.

Truck displays will showcase massive rigs and custom builds alongside the annual low and slow BBQ competition, wood chopping, competitive tug of war heats and classic car displays. Food trucks and market stalls will serve up smoky, slow-cooked meats, spice-loaded dishes and bogan merchandise.

The Brewtown Bar will be pumping throughout the day, alongside the return of the popular Lion Brown Lounge – which famously outsold craft beer at last year’s event.

The celebration once again extends beyond Brewtown itself, with Upper Hutt businesses embracing the theme. Whirinaki Whare Taonga is running its exhibition “Bodgies to Bogans,” exploring the Hutt Valley’s cultural reputation, and council support continues behind the scenes.

The “Welcome to Bogan Town” sign that created a stir last year is also expected to return.

Gorman says the event was originally created as a bit of fun and a way to embrace Upper Hutt’s reputation rather than shy away from it.

“Last year we weren’t sure what to expect, but the community absolutely embraced it. It became a celebration of not taking ourselves too seriously. With the wedding, the music, the competitions and the atmosphere we’re building, 2026 is shaping up to be even bigger. It’s uniquely Upper Hutt, and that’s exactly the point.”

Whether you’re a lifelong bogan or just bogan-curious, Brewtown is once again declaring itself the Official Home of the Bogan for one epic day.

Bogan Day Out 2026 takes place on March 14 from 12pm–8pm at Brewtown in Upper Hutt, with tickets priced at $35. To buy tickets, visit https://www.brewtown.co.nz/event/bogan-day-out/