All VWs – air-cooled, water-cooled, classic, new, and customized are welcome to enter and sell at this show; display-only entries are free! Trophies will be presented in 12 categories.
Dan Wild will be available for black-and-white or color caricatures of you and your VW vehicle – featuring any modifications!
Registration
Volkswagen car shows are an excellent way to meet fellow Volkswagen fans and share your love of this hobby. These events range from intimate community gatherings to large-scale air-cooled car shows and trade shows; each can give you a chance to network with others who share your enthusiasm while learning about modifications for your own Bus vehicle.
Are You Searching for VW Events to Attend in 2023? There are plenty of them across the US and beyond! Check out The Samba Events List to view every VW show or swap meet in America as well as international ones; many may even be free. So be sure to visit these listings soon!
Funfest for Air-Cooled VW will remember Corky Yager this year by paying our respects to him as the founder of Dade City, Florida’s Sunray Bugs, and tireless advocate for Volkswagen culture preservation. Corky devoted his life to making sure Volkswagen enthusiasts could continue sharing their passion with future generations, thus inspiring us all with his name being chosen to receive the Platinum Bug Award, given out annually to Volkswagen enthusiasts who dedicate themselves to passing down their passion to future generations.
Alongside an award ceremony, this show will also offer seminars and workshops related to Volkswagens. Butch Claar from Mid America Motorworks is an expert with decades of experience working on VW engines, and his panel will cover ignition systems that help ensure maximum engine performance.
Vendors
No matter the purpose, whether it’s new parts or just getting your Volkswagen on the road, you’ll find everything you need at this show’s selection of vendors. Many specialize in Volkswagen parts and accessories, while others provide general auto and home repair. You might even come across vintage VW items. Plus there are food and drink vendors present – all perfect excuse to spend a weekend there!
As well as offering goods, vendors at this show are dedicated to carrying on the tradition of Volkswagen buses by providing products designed to keep your car running smoothly for years. Some have even won awards for their work!
The show organizers take an active approach to ensure each vendor offers top-quality products and are available to answer questions about each one. They hold regular meetings to review this quality, as well as educational seminars designed to teach participants more about their vehicles.
Funfest for Air-Cooled VW enthusiasts features one of its most beloved activities – Lawn Mower Races – as a signature activity, with semi-professional drivers competing against each other to earn bragging rights and take place every Saturday on the Funfest campus, free for registered attendees.
EMPI Inc., which manufactures and distributes top-of-the-line Volkswagen parts, is proud to support the Funfest for Air-Cooled VW 2023 as the Title Sponsor. Their products include engine blocks, camshafts, cylinder heads, and more – with over 70 countries using them worldwide and top automotive manufacturers using them themselves as customers! Founded in 1956 with an extensive warranty policy to back its dedication to quality, EMPI has since sold its products throughout its comprehensive warranty policy, offering excellent customer service and affordable pricing.
Car Show
Events for Volkswagen enthusiasts provide more than just parts and restaurant ideas; they are also a chance to meet fellow enthusiasts and share in their passion for this classic car. You can quickly locate meetups near you online by searching VW Meet-ups.
Kelley Park Car Show welcomes air-cooled Volkswagens of any make or year. There are multiple classes for different vehicle types and years; those deemed the best receive prizes! Whether looking for original, restored, or customized VWs – Kelley Park’s Car Show has something special in store.
This year’s event will offer more than just car shows; unique displays and seminars focusing on air-cooled Volkswagen maintenance and care will also be featured. These seminars are presented by veteran VW specialists who will teach attendees how to keep their air-cooled VW running smoothly for many years to come.
One of the highlights of this year’s show will be Darryl’s Vintage Air-Cooled Engines’ custom engine giveaway – an 1876cc red tin, dual carb engine valued at $5,800 will be given away free to one lucky attendee during Friday and Saturday awards ceremonies!
Southern Illinois Sod Slingers will also make an appearance at Funfest for Air-Cooled VW, competing as semi-professional lawn mower racers to mow down their competition with lawnmowers. Funfest for Air-Cooled VW guests are welcome to witness this thrilling spectacle, with Mid America Motorworks lawns providing an ideal venue for watching this spectacle while enjoying some refreshing beverages while you watch this race unfold.
Swap Meet
This event boasts a massive car show featuring many unique VWs, an expanded swap area, food vendors, kid-friendly activities, and much more. Plus, it provides the opportunity to meet fellow Volkswagen enthusiasts while taking in beautiful summer weather! Hosted by Central Ohio Vintage Volkswagen Club, the event attracts over 700 Volkswagens each year, door prizes, food and fun vendors, raffle prizes, and live music performances, with caricature artist Dan Wild providing caricatures either black and white or color and even using any photo of your VW into his works of art!
Volkswagen owners are an inclusive community, and members often meet up and attend shows and events together to show support. Events like these provide the chance to connect with fellow VW owners as well as receive advice on restoration or maintenance projects from fellow enthusiasts; some even allow buyers and sellers to buy/sell parts at these gatherings!
Funfest for Air-Cooled VW will feature several educational seminars this year. Master VW specialist Darby Milnor will host a workshop on maintaining a Volkswagen, including how to drive on highways safely and what emergency repairs should be brought along in your trunk. Darryl Auch will share his expertise in engine building – his engines never undergo rebuild or reground and have been featured on Hot VWs television show!
People’s Choice Awards are an exciting new feature this year. Voted on by attendees at the show, these awards bring back participation to its core and celebrate Volkswagen’s spirit! One Volkswagen will receive this coveted accolade, while other prizes may also be won at this year’s Car Show!
Activities
Every Volkswagen enthusiast dreams of their ideal car. After carefully considering every aspect of its concept, style, color, and stance, once they find one that speaks to them and fits their personal and functional requirements, they eventually make their dream vehicle real. At The Silverado VW Show each year in Southern California, enthusiasts from around the globe gather to celebrate their passion for VWs!
Historic Kelley Park is an expansive 172-acre estate that houses a park, zoo, Japanese friendship garden, and history museum – providing the ideal setting for this spring meet organized by the Golden Gate Chapter of Vintage Volkswagen Club of America and welcoming all air-cooled vehicles.
Attending a Volkswagen bus show can bring the community closer together while also connecting you with fellow fans of this marque. Hosted by local clubs, regional groups, and even national organizations – these shows range from intimate community gatherings to large air-cooled shows and shines. They’re great opportunities for meeting fellow bus enthusiasts, from beginners to veteran owners alike, as well as providing excellent opportunities to display your vehicle!
