Since Rubadub Media is attending Waterfest 2019, I wanted to pick the founder's brain a little to learn more about the event! Dan is one of the head honchos of Waterfest and has been there since the beginning, (25 years ago!). Here's what he had to say:
Q: What was your first VAG car you modified?
A: 1988 Mk1 Cabriolet
Q: Were there other car events that inspired you to make Waterfest?
A: When we started Waterfest, there really weren't any shows that focused on the water cooled newer VWs, mainly the air-cooled bugs, etc., hence Waterfest a show for the newer [watercooled] VWs.
Q: How many cars/attendees are you expecting this year?
A: We expect about 20,000 people and over 3,000 cars participating in events.
Q: Were you expecting this event to last 25 years when you first started it?
A: No! It started out as a promotional tool for our VW parts and repair business, it grew into something else we didn't expect.
Q: Was there a certain year that stood out to you?
A: 2002 was a big year for us because it was the first year we were at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ... which is where we stayed for 16 years; it was also the first year we made it into a two day show.
Q: I heard something about a car giveaway, can we get more info?
A: Yes! We're really excited about this. To celebrate our 25th anniversary, we're giving away a 2009 Mk5 GTI as a door prize! We've partnered with over 20 companies on the build, we're really excited about how it's coming out! Full details on the build and rules can be found here:
https://www.waterfest.net/cargiveaway.aspx
Q: What options do attendees have as far as spectating or showing their cars?
There's several ways to participate at Waterfest! We feel there's something for every car enthusiast at our show. Our VIP package is definitely a great way to experience the show in style. You can also drag race your car on the 1/4 strip (or just watch some of the 8+ second cars whiz down the track), have your car chip tuned by one of the several tuners on site, visit the large vendor Midway, test our your car's hp and torque on our all wheel capable Dyno, the burnout contest on the drag strip Sunday afternoon is definitely a crowd favorite! Afterfest is our Saturday night after party (included with Saturday admission)which has a car limbo contest, 2 step, invitational car show. There's so much to do we needed 2 days!
WATERFEST 2019 EVENT LISTING / SCHEDULE:
https://www.waterfest.net/info/schedule-and-fees/2
And some exciting news: this is the first event we will be vending at! Stickers, keychains, air fresheners, and some apparel will be available to purchase. Send me an email or DM on Instagram if you're going.
See you there!
- Will
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