The VW Show That’s Been Packing Eureka Springs for 34 Years Is Back

Thirty-four years in, the Eureka Springs VW Show is still drawing Volkswagen lovers from across the region to one of Arkansas’s most distinct little towns. Not bad for a car show.

THE DEETS

Bugs, Buses, and a Bit of Heart

Two clubs, two shows. The format has held up because it keeps things personal. Each club runs its own show over the weekend, giving you two separate chances to walk the field, talk shop, and see what people have been working on.

Off the show floor, your weekend comes with a few traditions worth knowing about. The Sunday Tourcade takes you on a group drive through the area, and the clubs also make a stop at a local nursing home. All proceeds from the event go to a local Eureka Springs charity.

How the Weekend Plays Out

Friday kicks things off at noon when registration opens and vendors set up. That evening, dinner is served at the convention center: smoked pulled pork, baked beans, chips, and water. After that, the cocktail party runs from 7 to 10 PM. Bring your own drink in a solo cup.

Saturday is the main event. Judging begins at 11 AM, and at 3 PM the parade rolls through town. Awards follow once everyone returns.

Sunday starts at 9:30 AM with the Tourcade departing from the front of the convention center. Your first stop is Brighton Ridge Nursing Home at 235 Huntsville Road, then the group winds through the Arkansas countryside, crossing a one-lane suspension bridge at Beaver, stopping at a lakeside park below a hilltop mansion called the Castle, and finishing at the Beaver Lake dam. Bring potluck snacks and drinks for the breaks.

Make a Weekend of It

Eureka Springs is a good excuse to stay more than one night. You have the Victorian architecture, the hills, the shops along the main drag. The town runs at its own pace, and that is part of the draw. Reserve your room at the official event hotel now and see youth there.