The World’s Largest Meet-up of VW Beetles Is This Weekend — Here’s What to Know and How to Join In

The Volkswagen Beetle or “Bug” has a history that dates back to 1938 — but the car has only become more iconic and beloved with time. The vehicle has established such a following that each year Beetle lovers from around the world gather to celebrate and swap stories.

This weekend, the 14th annual Beetle Sunshine Tour will once again kick off in Travemünde, Germany. The seaside town is home to the world’s largest Beetle meet-up which is set to welcome over 700 Beetles — from historic Bugs to the latest model — and thousands of visitors from August 16–18.

The festival kicks off with live music and is packed with Beetle-centric events like drives along the coast and an award ceremony for the year’s most beautiful Beetle. This year’s event is expected to be particularly memorable since VW announced that they would end Beetle production in 2019.

“It’s impossible to imagine where Volkswagen would be without the Beetle,” said Scott Keogh, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “From its first import in 1949 to today’s retro-inspired design, it has showcased our company’s ability to fit round pegs into square holes of the automotive industry. While its time has come, the role it has played in the evolution of our brand will be forever cherished.”

The weekend event is open to the public, and provides Beetle fans the chance to share in the vehicle’s storied history, hear from passionate Beetle aficionados, and see some of the most beautiful — and unique — Beetle’s in the world.

As the tour’s website states: “Life is too short to drive boring cars.”

This article has been updated with a comment from Volkswagen CEO Scott Keogh.