Volkswagen enthusiasts 'Bug Out' in Heidelberg

Some rainy weather couldn’t dampen the spirits of Volkswagen fans as they came together in Heidelberg for a special show.

The KW & Area Bug Club held their 42nd Bug Out show and festival at KW Optimist Club Park on Sunday.

“Today we have 207 registered vehicles, which is a record for us,” KW & Area Bug Club Director Jennifer Dziuba said.

The show featured Volkswagen vehicles from a wide range of eras, including some specially modified vehicles. The show also attracted a rare 1979 Elektro Bulli, a prototype vehicle.

“We certainly have it all,” Dziuba said. “All types, year models of Volkwagen are here at our event and in our club,”

She told CTV News she believes there is an emotional connection to the beloved cars.

“It never fails to happen that when I’m out in my little car someone always has a story to tell. Someone always has a personal connection. ‘Oh, I remember when I was a young person and my father had a car or my friend had a car or we had those cars when I was growing up in university. People seem to have an ability to connect with these cars.’”

For club president Stephen Hill, he believes the ability to personalize the vehicles make them a hit. “It’s just so easy to make it your own. You can either keep it all stock or you can say, hey, I want this colour, I want this option, and there’s no wrong way to do a Volkswagen.”

The Bug Out show also featured children’s activities to inspire the next generation of fans. Children were encouraged to find ‘Waldo’ who was wandering around the event and pick up ballots to vote for their favourite decorated vehicle.

The event serves as more than just a social occasion for Volkswagen enthusiasts.

“We do this Bug Out event in partnership with the KW Optimist Club,” Dziuba explained. “They kindly allow us to host our event here and some of the proceeds that we generate at this event help to support the youth programs that the KW Optimist Club work towards supporting themselves. We also continue to use some of the funds that we generate at this to engage in acts of giving throughout the calendar year in many of the communities in which our membership live and work. So for example food banks or Special Olympics. Those are some of the causes that we have supported in the past.”

Dziuba said they may be called the ‘KW & Area’ Bug Club, but their membership comes from across the province.