The dates and prizemoney for the 2026 Grenfell Lights Poker Run have been announced.

The annual three day event will be held on the weekend of 18-20 September with activities centred at the Grenfell Bowling Club on the Friday and Saturday night. The Poker Run on Saturday 19 September will again take entrants on a 200 kilometre drive through the towns and villages surrounding Grenfell.

The Poker Run is hosted by the Grenfell Lions Club with the support of members from the Grow Grenfell Group. The event is an important annual fundraiser for the Grenfell Lights project which is continuing to install exhibition-style lighting on the facades of building along our main street

The big news for this year is the substantial increase in prize-money to $2500 which is expected to result in a big increase in people coming to Grenfell for the weekend. Deidre Carroll from the Grenfell Lions Club says the Poker Run was important event for our township with many first time visitors supporting the event.

“It also brings together our two Not-For-Profit organisations to raise much needed funding for the Grenfell Lights projects,” she said.

“The lighting of buildings along the main street and the Grenfell Silos is making a positive impact for our township and is fantastic for tourism and visitor numbers.

"Previous weekend have involved many volunteers from our two clubs working together to produce a well run and enjoyable classic car event,” Deidre said.

Jeff Gallimore President of the Grow Grenfell Group Inc said the Poker Run on the Saturday allows driver and their passengers to see the stunning vivid yellow canola and lush green wheat crops on each side of the roads as they travel from town-to-town.

“We have received positive feedback from car owners following the previous staging of the three day event in 2024 and 2025 with members of car clubs from country NSW and Sydney supporting our Poker Run in good numbers and telling us how much they have enjoyed the various events across the weekend”.

“With the big increase in prizemoney to $2,500 for the Poker Run weekend in September we are now expecting a really strong turn-up of classic car owners from the Weddin Shire and across NSW,” Mr Gallimore said.

The Poker Run is based on entrants receiving five playing cards across the day as they drive through the countryside around Grenfell and the date for the event in late September ensures it is at a time of year where the weather is pleasant for entrants. Previous events have been supported by members of the Leyland P76 and Ford Mustang Clubs. There will once again be a full weekend of activities for entrants with activities on offer that include:

Friday 18 September

• 5:30pm - Park-up of cars in the lower-end of Grenfell Main Street - 6pm – cars depart to Grenfell Silos Lightshow and then cruise to the Grenfell Bowling Club

• 6:30pm – Dinner and Car Quiz will be held at the Grenfell Bowling Club with dinner available.

Saturday 19 September - Poker Run held over a 200km drive

• 8am – Grenfell Bowling Club - Registrations on the day at $50 per vehicle (provides for 2 x entries) and Light Breakfast available for entrants

• 9:30am - Cars will depart the Grenfell Bowling Club for the first stop (2nd Poker Card issued) – with entrants then enjoying lunch (3rd Poker card) and then a final stop for afternoon tea on the return leg back to Grenfell (4th Poker card). The 5th and final poker hand will be issued at the lower-end of Grenfell's Main Street with a Park-Up of Cars from 4pm

• 6pm – Entrants enjoy a dinner/dance at the Grenfell Bowling Club on the Saturday night which includes the awarding of prizes and a Live Band with dinner available.

Sunday 20 September

• There will be a Breakfast, Cars and Coffee at the Unwind Café in the Main Street of Grenfell from 8am and then entrants will depart for a tour of the historic Iandra Castle.

Contact: Jeff Gallimore - President – Grow Grenfell Group Inc - Tel: 0424 503 450