The Best VW Show on the Planet

Have you ever attended a VW show or event that felt like heaven - or simply too good to be true?

There are certain moments in this hobby when reality feels almost unreal. Not because something is exaggerated, but because it's so far beyond what you've experienced before that it hardly seems possible. That's exactly how I've always felt about the event I'm about to talk about.

Over the years, I've been fortunate to attend Volkswagen events all over the world - across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Every show has its own personality, its own strengths, and its own community. And like many of you, I've been asked countless times: if you could recommend just one VW event to attend in a lifetime - or simply the best VW show to experience - what would it be?

My answer has never changed: Hessisch Oldendorf. Last month, Georg Otto mentioned this incredible vintage VW gathering in his Fatherland column, but I feel compelled to remind you again, as this is one event you truly need to experience.

Hessisch Oldendorf, or simply "HO" among VW enthusiasts, is more than just the name of a small town in northwestern Lower Saxony, Germany. It has become synonymous with the world's premier vintage VW gathering, held every four years. After a four-year wait, the Hessisch Oldendorf International Vintage Volkswagen Show returns this June.

The first HO Treffen was created in 1996 by Traugott Grundmann, a local businessman and passionate vintage Volkswagen collector. It began as a modest local gathering with around 80 cars. However, the enthusiasm of Traugott and his son Christian - along with their incredible VW collection - quickly spread around the world, even in the days before social media.

By the second HO Treffen, the event had already gained international recognition, attracting vintage VW enthusiasts from across the globe. After hosting the Treffen in 1996, 1998, and 2001, the Grundmann family and their team established the now-traditional four-year cycle.

Here are some stats from the 2022 event - numbers that are simply unreal. A total of 185 Split Window Beetles (including KdF models, excluding cabriolets), 149 Ovals (excluding cabriolets), 21 Hebmüllers, eight Split-era cabriolets, 22 Oval cabriolets, 70 Karmann Ghias (Type 14s and Type 34s), 6 Rometsches (Beeskow and Lawrence), 2 Dannenhauer & Stauss models, 17 Kübelwagens, 25 Schwimmwagens, and 247 Buses (including 62 Barndoors).

And that doesn't even include the many unregistered cars we saw throughout the event. Quite simply, you won't find this many early and rare Volkswagens gathered in one place anywhere else but HO.

What makes HO so special isn't just the cars, although those alone would justify the trip. It's the way everything comes together. For four days, a historic German town becomes a living, breathing museum of Volkswagen history. Streets are closed to modern traffic, storefronts are decorated with VW themes, and everywhere you look are cars most people only ever see in books - or not at all.

Over a thousand vintage Volkswagens, 50,000 spectators, and enthusiasts from more than 40 countries - all gathered in one place. It's not just the quantity, though. It's the quality and rarity.

By Thursday and Friday, the town is already buzzing. Cars are rolling in, swap meet vendors are setting up, and the campground a few minutes away has already turned into a full-scale event of its own, with more than 2,000 VW campers. You could easily spend a day or two exploring that area alone.

On Saturday, everything reaches another level. The famous river crossing is one of the most iconic scenes in the VW world. A small ferry shuttles VWs back and forth across the river, carrying only a handful at a time. It sounds simple, but standing there, watching a continuous flow of rare Volkswagens crossing the water while crowds line the banks, feels almost surreal.

And then, just when you think you've seen it all, a convoy of Schwimmwagens appears, driving straight into the river, cruising downstream, and pulling up at the ferry dock like it's the most normal thing in the world. I still remember standing at the riverbank the first time, watching a Schwimmwagen ease into the water. For a moment, it didn't feel like a car show - it felt like stepping into another era.

Beyond the spectacle, there's another side of HO that often gets overlooked: the people. This is one of the few places where enthusiasts from all over the world come together with a shared understanding. Language barriers disappear. Backgrounds don't matter. If you're into Volkswagens, you're part of the same conversation.

The swap meet is another experience entirely. If you're hunting for rare parts, this is the place. It's easily one of the most impressive collections of VW parts you'll ever see, and it starts early. By Friday morning, the serious buyers are already moving fast, cash in hand, searching for that one piece they've been chasing for years. You could spend your entire weekend there and still not see everything.

And yet, even with all of this - the cars, the activities, the scale - it's the atmosphere that stays with you. There's something about seeing these vintage Volkswagens integrated into a historic, more than 900-year-old German town that creates a feeling you just can't replicate anywhere else. It feels timeless. And it reminds you why you fell in love with these cars in the first place.

The next Hessisch Oldendorf is happening soon, June 25 to 28, 2026. If it's been on your bucket list, do not wait another four years. Book the trip. Go see it for yourself. You can still make it. And once you go, chances are, you'll be counting the days until the next one.