GTI Fan Fest 2024: Wolfsburgs Jubel über 50 Jahre Golf – Eine Stadt, ein Auto, eine Legende

GTI Fan Festival 2024: Wolfsburg Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the VW Golf

The Golf returns to its roots, attracting a crowd of 15,000. A showcase of images, experiences, and passions from the event that took over from Wörthersee…

"Icons coming home" was the theme for the inaugural GTI Fan Festival held at the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg. For over four decades, the GTI event was hosted by Wörthersee in Austria, until the local community of Wörth am See called a halt after a Covid-19 break due to the event's escalating size, noting "increasing criticism and diminishing acceptance" among residents, leading to its discontinuation.

The municipality gave the green light and it didn't take long for VW to seal the deal. For Thomas Schäfer, the CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, it presented a prime opportunity to finally bring the iconic Golf to its hometown of Wolfsburg. The slight increase in tyre wear from a few extra vehicles over the weekend is negligible. At least not significantly so. After all, what place could be more fitting than Autostadt to celebrate the model's 50th anniversary?

Photo Gallery: GTI Fan Festival 2024

Wolfsburg's Mayor, Dennis Weilmann, was quick to join the excitement, as he proudly announced at the grand opening of the GTI Fan Festival 2024. The beloved Golf model has returned to its roots – a much-anticipated homecoming from what's being said. Back to where it all began. A three-day birthday bash from July 26 to July 28, 2024, was set in motion.

And the GTIs? They arrived: from the first model to the eighth, ranging from original condition with a natural patina, to performance-enhanced, to DIY projects, from the Dortmund performance factory to the painstakingly saved-for collector's item.

As the weekend approached and Saturday afternoon rolled around, the community parking lots gradually became occupied. Meanwhile, the festival grounds buzzed with activity throughout all three days, featuring an array of performance models, unique sights such as the Lake Golf, concept designs like the GTI Roadster, and racing cars surrounding the stadium.

On stage, there was a showcase of not just laboriously customized vehicles to the fan community, but also narratives shared, such as that of a Swede who has been driving his classic 1st generation GTI across Europe for 40 years. That's longer than he's been with his wife, which is "only" 30 years so far.

GTI Enthusiast Festival

The 2024 GTI En

GTI Enthusiasts Gathering

Racing drivers shared stories of completing over 5,000 laps on the Nürburgring's North Loop, while marketing squads highlighted the benefits of purchasing the latest Golf R. Amidst this, varying levels of enthusiastic Volkswagen owners and prospective buyers munched on snacks from the food trucks, eagerly cheering every engine roar.

The aim is not to replace the Wörthersee gathering, which can attract over 200,000 visitors at peak times, but rather to create a space where families can properly celebrate the Golf and its related models. This would include a range of activities and shopping options. As for the Golf itself, it has a global fanbase, as evidenced not only by the variety of international license plates seen in the parking areas but also by the presence of invited officials from VW branches in countries such as Japan and South Africa.

Thus, a refined gathering with a family-friendly vibe came into being, one that received praise not just from invited media from around the globe but also from the majority of the community. However, there were reservations and suggestions for enhancement, as I discovered during various casual conversations.

GTI Enthusiast Festival

GTI Enthusiasts Gathering

GTI Enthusiast Festival

Some attendees felt that the parking areas seemed somewhat detached from the organized segment of the event. They hoped for a clearer demarcation of the entire venue and a possible integration of festival offerings with parking spaces. For some, the presence of numerous cars or an additional parking lot went unnoticed because various entrances and exits were either underutilized or the layout was simply confusing. There was also a lack of trash bins and promotional gift bags. The latter appeared to be a significant concern to many, as evidenced by the specially produced GTI T-shirt selling out by Friday.

Improved signage and clear communication could effectively address this issue and spread the festive atmosphere throughout the entire car city. Additionally, there was uncertainty among some attendees about whether their VW or Audi vehicles, aside from models like Golf, Polo, Lupo, and Up GTI, would be welcomed, as is the tradition at Wörthersee. They indeed were welcome, as evidenced by our photo gallery.

Roughly 15,000 enthusiasts gathered, as reported by VW, for the Golf celebration over the weekend, with the peak attendance hitting around 9,000 on Saturday. The event showcased over 700 vehicles, which included 103 cars from exhibitors on the premises. That's quite impressive for an inaugural event. The GTI Fan Fest concluded with a spirited parade of cars traversing the Volkswagen factory grounds.

Enhanced sense of community

Approximately 200 vehicles participated in a procession, accompanied by a symphony of honking, as they navigated through the cordoned-off zone where even non-street-legal cars were permitted to rev their engines. Various staff members were on hand, capturing the moment with their cameras, while the factory's fire brigade formed an honor guard. Meanwhile, we seized a unique opportunity to hitch a ride, details of which you'll be hearing more about in the coming days.

A successful kickoff where the organizing team can undoubtedly benefit from past experiences. Just need to check in with the community once more, and then it will all come together! The new GTI Fan Fest certainly doesn't need to worry about expanding. There's plenty of room for growth. So, we'll just say, see you next year, dear GTI.

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