This past weekend, the Volkswagen Owners Club of Great Britain headed to VW Festival at Harewood House, near Leeds. Established back in 2005, this is a show I’ve attended almost every year (sometimes as a visitor, sometimes as a trader), and I’ve loved watching it grow into one of the UK’s biggest and best VW events.

Over the years, we’ve seen it evolve from a traditional VW show into more of a full-on festival. This year, that evolution continued… but perhaps it’s tipped a little too far away from its VW roots.

The Positives

Let’s start with the good stuff. The weather was kind, the setting is always stunning, and there were still some beautifully presented VWs in the Show & Shine. Best of all, we got to catch up with friends we only see once a year, for us, that’s one of the real highlights of any big VW event.

On both Saturday and Sunday, the Main Stage arena hosted a display of American cars and trucks to complement this year’s USA theme – cue the fancy dress. It was a great opportunity to see something different alongside the Volkswagens, and the variety added a bit of extra interest to the weekend.

The organisation of the site itself still feels slick, and the event clearly takes a lot of effort to put together. For that, the team behind it deserve huge credit.

The Challenges

This year felt… different. As traders, we didn’t get the pitch we’d booked, and instead were placed in a quieter spot that didn’t have the same visibility as our usual front-row space overlooking the Show & Shine. This inevitably meant less footfall at our stand.

Even the Show & Shine field seemed less full than in previous years. In fact, we heard from friends that people were being encouraged to enter on the day at the gate, a big change from the usual pre-booked, packed-out display.

The entertainment also felt a bit repetitive. The “Family Entertainment” tent became a silent disco each night, fun in theory, but you had to pay to hire the headphones. The main stage featured a line-up of cover bands, but the setlists didn’t feel particularly varied (I think I heard the same songs a few times!).

Looking Ahead

We know that every show has to evolve, after all, we said the same thing in our Tatton Park VW Show review. But at its heart, a VW show is about the VWs. It’s what brings us all together. This year, the balance felt a little off.

That said, we still had a good weekend with great company, and there’s no denying that VW Festival is a big date on the UK VW calendar. Whether we return next year or try something new remains to be seen, but maybe it’s our turn to evolve, too.

Words & Photos: Andy Hayward