The 2026 show
New for 2026 — the show is a full weekend campout. Camping opens Friday evening, the show runs all day Saturday, and we pack out Sunday. Below: the whole itinerary and the park layout so you know exactly where everything is before you roll in.
The annual show
Once a year, the Great Plains VW Show is the VW-only event we build everything around — and for 2026 it grows into a three-day campout. Camp Friday and Saturday night, catch a movie in the park after dark, and spend Saturday on the show field. Pre-registration, the Top 25, swap meet, vendor market, raffle, LEGO build for the kids — the whole deal.
Friday to Sunday
Three days, two nights, one show field. Camping runs Friday and Saturday night, Saturday is the main show day, and Sunday is pack-out. Times are firm unless we say otherwise — check Facebook for anything that moves.
Camping opens & movie night
Roll in, pick your spot, get set up. Tent and RV sites are on the north side of the show field — see the park layout below.
Once everybody's campsite is set up, we put a movie up under the stars. Bring a chair, bring a blanket, bring the kids.
Main show day
Show entrants pull in, park anywhere on the show field, and grab a dash plaque. Free to show up before 8:00 if you'd rather get in early — nobody's turning you away.
Vendors selling, swap meet going, food trucks rolling. The grounds are full.
One hour on the clock. Build a VW — or whatever you think a car should look like — from scratch.
Builds go up for judging and we hand out the kids' awards right after.
Live drawing for the headline raffle and sponsor prizes, then the Top 25, the specialty awards, and the Legacy Award to close it out. Raffle tickets available at the gate all day.
Second night under the stars for everybody camping over.
Pack out
Take your time, help your neighbor, leave the site better than you found it. Farewell till next year.
Know before you go
Hap McLean Park, drawn to scale on current aerial imagery. Sheet 1 is the whole site — where to park, where to camp, and how show cars get in. Sheet 2 is the event area up close — vendor rows, food trucks, registration, the kids' area, and the emergency lane. Tap either sheet for the full-size version.
Bring your VW
New for 2026: we've done away with classes entirely. No brackets, no categories, no being sorted by year or engine. One field, every VW judged against the whole show, and twenty-five awards at the end of the day.
Our judges walk the entire field and look at every single car, one at a time. For each one they answer a single question: does this car belong in the Top 25 of this show? The twenty-five cars the judges most agree on take the awards.
There's no 1st through 25th and no running order. A Top 25 award is a Top 25 award, whether your car is the first one called or the last. Everyone in the twenty-five gets the same decal.
If you're judging, you sit out your own vehicle — no exceptions, no matter who you are. Our scoring accounts for it, so sitting out never costs that car a thing.
Air-cooled, water-cooled, EV, buggy, bus, or a project you drove in on faith — if it's registered, it's in the running. No extra entry, no extra fee, nothing to sign up for.
Beyond the Top 25
Six specialty awards handed out alongside the Top 25 — the trophies for the cars and the people the judging sheet was never going to catch on its own. The Legacy Award closes the show.
One car becomes next year's show.
Every year, the show staff picks our absolute favorite vehicle at the show — shiny, rusty, new, or old. Not a points sheet, not a tally of votes. The car we can't stop thinking about.
The winner becomes the face of the following year's show — featured on the official show shirt, the flyer, and the dash plaque. And the whole show follows: next year's theme becomes the decade of the winning car. Win it with a '67 Beetle and 2027 goes full '60s. Win it with a Mk2 GTI and we're doing the '80s.
Every registered car is automatically in the running — no extra entry, no fee. Just bring the car that makes people stop walking.
Awarded to the most active car club at the show. To be eligible, your registered drivers need their club listed on their CarShowPro profile so we can count heads — bring your crew, rep your colors, take home the Cup.
Voted on by attendees throughout the day. The car that wins the crowd.
For the slammed, scraped, lowest-of-the-low. Static or bagged — if it's hugging the asphalt, it's in the running.
Best actual camping setup — awnings, build-outs, kitchen rigs, the whole package. Whatever you've turned into a home on wheels.
The patina survivor award. Honest rust, faded paint, period-correct wear — cars that earned every mark they're wearing.
Get your car in
Registration is $30 per car across the board — pre-register or pay at the gate. The reason to pre-register: every pre-registered driver gets a free show shirt, and the first 50 to pre-register get our top-shelf custom nylon swag bag stuffed with goodies from our sponsors. Day-of registration opens at 8 AM the morning of the show.
$30 per car — open through August 22, 2026.
Free show shirt for every pre-registered driver. First 50 pre-registered also get the official custom nylon swag bag — packed with goodies from our sponsors. Priority parking and move-in starts at 8 AM show day.
Pre-Register on CarShowPro ↗$30 per car — opens 8 AM, closes 11 AM each show day, September 4–6, 2026.
Same dash plaque and same shot at the Top 25 — but no shirt or swag bag, and you're parking wherever space is open. Plan on getting there early. Active duty & retired veterans register free — see below.
Free for all attendees.
No car, no ticket, no problem. Walk the show, hit the swap meet, buy raffle tickets. Kiddie Korner, the craft fair, and all kids activities are free — bring the whole family.
Thank you for your service. Active duty and retired veterans get free show registration. This offer is day-of only — register at the gate the morning of the show, head to the registration booth, and bring military ID (active or retired) for verification. We'll take care of the rest.
How to register: Pre-register through our CarShowPro event page. If you're competing for The Great Plains Cup, make sure your car club is listed on your CarShowPro profile. Trouble with the form, or have questions about merch, t-shirts, or anything else? Email Greatplainsvwshow@gmail.com and we'll get you sorted.
Buying, selling, hanging out
Got parts to move? Bring them. The swap meet is free to participate — no booth fee, no setup hassle. First come, first served on tailgate space. Cash, Venmo, PayPal, whatever works between buyer and seller.
Selling parts, gear, swag, food, services? Apply for a vendor space. Pricing varies by booth size — email us for the vendor packet.
Vendor InquiryOn-site food vendors all day. Bring water, especially in September Kansas heat.
Confirmed for 2026:
Where it goes down
Hap McLean Park in Park City, Kansas — just north of Wichita, right off I-135. Easy interstate access, plenty of parking, and big open park space for the show.
Hap McLean Park
6801 N Hydraulic Ave
Park City, KS 67219
New venue for 2026 — the show has moved from Derby to Hap McLean Park in Park City.
Free spectator parking on-site. Show car parking is in the designated show area — pre-registered move-in starts at 8 AM.
Several options 10–15 minutes away in Wichita and Park City. We'll post a recommended-hotel list closer to the show.
Quick answers
Nope. The show is VW-only for entries, but spectators are welcome regardless of what you drive. Come hang out, walk the show, hit the swap meet.
This is a VW-only show — only Volkswagens can register and be judged. Audis, Porsches, and other makes are welcome to attend as spectators. Bring whatever you drive, just don't expect a trophy if it isn't a VW.
Dogs on leash welcome. Kids absolutely welcome (we have a Kiddie Korner). Coolers — yes for non-alcoholic. Alcohol policy will be posted closer to event.
Show goes on in light rain. Severe weather (tornado warning, lightning) we'll postpone or cancel — announcements will go out on Facebook and via the email list.
Tickets sold at the gate all day. Drawing happens around 2 PM with announcements over the PA. You must be present to win — if your number gets called and you're not in the crowd, we'll redraw.
Yes — and we'd love it. Email us with your club name and approximate count and we'll save adjacent parking. Cruise-in coordination welcome.
Ready to roll in?
$30 to lock in your spot — plus a free show shirt for every pre-registered driver, and the official custom swag bag for the first 50 to register. Pre-registration closes August 22, 2026.
Pre-Register on CarShowPro ↗Contact
Questions about registration, merch, t-shirts, vendor space, or anything else show-related — email the show address below. For sponsorship, head to the Sponsor page to reach the team directly.