Buggin' Out

Mid America's VW FunFest

By Steve Temple

Photos by Ed Baumgarten

Folks customize cars for a lot of reasons, but one of the best is to celebrate life and have some fun. After all, if you’re not having fun, what’s the point?

Mike Yager of Mid America Motorworks knows that firsthand. As the company’s aptly named “Chief Cheerleader,” this guy really knows how to throw a party — and for car guys in particular, whether Corvette owners or VW fans. We’ve highlighted the Corvette event in a previous issue, but we also wanted to share the party at the VW Funfest held in early June.

A cruise through downtown Effingham is all part of the party.

Kyle Trunko whipped through the slalom course.

Mid America Motorworks welcomed more than 1,000 Volkswagens of all types and sizes. Enthusiasts celebrated the Volkswagen’s German heritage with the Volktoberfest theme and a variety of games and activities. These included a 20-mile cruise through rural Effingham County, Illinois, concluding with a parade through downtown Effingham. Hundreds of Volkswagens surrounded the historic Courthouse Square for the Downtown Welcome Fest Party. Mayor Jeff Bloemker tapped a keg of beer and made a toast to Funfest for Air-Cooled VW guests with Mike Yager.

Chosen as a Celebrity Choice by Patti Voss of MST is this ’57 street-rodded Beetle, owned by Dan and Sheila Fenton of Windsor, Ontario.

To connect with fellow dune-buggy enthusiasts, check out the Buggymeister VW Club of Waterloo, Illinois.

While most Manx dune buggies were for off-roading, the Manx SR was designed for the street, with full weather protection and space for luggage.

The dune buggy with the flag paint job (left) is from Joe Botterbush, who won the Exhaust Wars Sound Off. The pink car with big eyelashes (wink, wink) belongs to Babe Edsall, who was also a winner in the Exhaust Wars Sound Off.

The Waterloo German Band was on site Saturday evening, playing traditional German music on German instruments, including the Alpine Horn, while guests enjoyed an authentic German meal. In the Biergarten, there were several beer stein hoist contests, which the crowd really got into.

What follows is a visual treat showing all the cool cars in attendance. We hope to see you there next June for two anniversaries: the 20th annual VW Funfest and the 80th anniversary of the Volkswagen Beetle!