During the past 10 years, Waterfest has grown from a small, regional car show into North America's premier VW and Audi event. Attracting hundreds of cars and tens of thousands of spectators, one would have to travel to Europe to find anything larger.
Presented by APR, the event's two-day format once again proved an overwhelming success.
The show opened to warm and sunny weather, helping to draw record numbers despite the $15 and $20 cover charges.Rain did eventually flood the spacious grounds of Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.--the show's home of the past couple years-- but the real heavy downpour held off until late Sunday afternoon, just as show participants began filing out.
A comprehensive schedule of events and activities kept enthusiasts busy and on their feet, navigating back and fourth between the car show, vendor display, mobile dyno, drag strip, autocross track and concessions. Even the exterior parking lots were worth a stroll, as one never knew what you might stumble across. I lost count of R32s.
As expected, an endless sea of highly modified VW's of nearly every model and year (including a brand new Euro-spec Golf V) were present. A good mix of lavishly appointed Audis were on hand as well. Lately, the show has also seen an increase of other European marques scattered throughout the field, including BMWs, Porsches and others. Vortex even displayed a Bentley GT.
The true success of Waterfest is its core following. Now, with 10 years under its belt, the event has created a legacy, firmly imprinted onto the VW/Audi cultural landscape.