Volkswagen lovers swarm to Bug Fair

Volkswagen enthusiasts gathered at the Spokane Fair and Expo Center on Sunday to show off their Beetles, buses and Karmann Ghias.

“It’s all just this friendship thing,” said Jan Betts, a member of the River City Volkswagen Club and an organizer of the 23rd annual Bug Fair. “It’s a family event.”

The festival, presented by the VW club each year on the last Sunday in June, has grown steadily. According to club President Troy Hobbs, the tradition began as a joint effort between the club and Bow Wow, a now-defunct VW parts and repair shop. Enthusiasts first gathered in the shop’s parking lot and quickly outgrew the location. By the third year, they were at the fairgrounds.

Hobbs estimated that 1,500 people came to see the cars, buy or sell items, enjoy the children’s games and meet old friends.

“I enjoy seeing all the people I haven’t seen since last year,” he said.

Many people hoped to empty their garages of spare parts by opening their bus doors and setting up tables at the swap meet. Shoppers find steering wheels, screws, old bumpers and wrenches as well as T-shirts, jewelry, model cars and framed pictures.

Club members parked their VWs along the fence of the fairgrounds to leave room for the show cars.

Hobbs brought along his 1961 bright blue Beetle, which he has had for more than 20 years. It isn’t his everyday car, but he likes to take it out to drive on nice days.

Almost 40 cars were shown, and many were for sale. Visitors could check out baby blue, tan or white Karmann Ghias, a maroon Vanagon, new Rabbits and lots of vintage Beetles.

The club doesn’t discriminate between original Volkswagens and the hybrids: tricked-out cars with Volkswagen parts.

Sheldon Van Etten, for example, brought his 1927 Model T Ford. The body is attached to a 1966 VW chassis.

He started building the car in 1972 Some of the inside trim was missing and someone had tried to add a truck bed to the back.

Van Etten finished rebuilding it in 1989 and sold it.

But he bought it back last summer and drove it to Colorado.

There was a 1958 Fiat 600 featuring suicide doors – doors with the hinge toward the rear of the car – and an 1835cc VW engine.

There were also custom-made trikes, three-wheeled bikes built using the pan of a Beetle.

The day featured door prizes and prizes for the farthest traveled, the oldest VW, kids’ choice, and the ugliest bug.

There were also children’s activities, such as the valve cover races.

Kids decorated their valve covers with stickers and paint, added wheels and raced them down a pinewood derby ramp.

Each year’s crowd and cars are different, said organizer Betts, who drove her cherry-red 1960 double-door VW bus to the fairgrounds.

“Each year, people ask who is coming, and we can’t answer that,” she said.

Betts also appreciated the camaraderie among VW owners and often joked with folks passing by.

The club extended that friendship by collecting canned food for Second Harvest Food Bank at the gates.

Visitors who made donations received a $2 discount.