VW’s record attendance at World VW Day Celebrations

The Volkswagen Beetle Owners’ Club held its Annual World Volkswagen Day celebration on Sunday 1 July. 

VW Beetles of all ages flocked to location of the start of the celebration, the Galle Face Hotel. The hotel was swarming with VWs in an array of colours that filled the entire car park. Along with the Beetles was a brace of the much-loved VW Vans, a delightful Karman Ghia, the Club Mascot being the Patrons Trekker and a Variant that joined the activities of the day. 

The members were received at the recorders table, which was busy with the nitty-gritty and the club created history with a record attendance of over 100 VWs at the World Volkswagen Day celebration.

Club President Peter Jasinghe welcomed the participants with a special welcome to the many “first-timers” and a group photograph of all present was taken prior to the official start of the parade. 

Mubarak Gafoor, Director Sales of the Galle Face Hotel, was given the task of flagging off the parade with the club mascot being the VW Trekker that was the first car to be flagged off, followed by over 100 VWs that took to the Galle Face centre road and proceeded in parade form along Galle Road to Duplication Road and returned to Galle Road heading southward towards the historic Mount Lavinia Hotel. 

The Police did a marvellous job all the way, ensuring the uniformity of the drive that was an absolute pleasure to witness the length of VWs driving one behind the other at the parade.

The convoy did a right turn to Hotel Road, Mount Lavinia and headed to the historic Mount Lavinia Hotel and settled in and around the entire hotel which looked somewhat like a Beetle invasion at the Mount. The members were directed to the Regal Ballroom where the rest of the day’s activities resumed. Being the tradition at this event the club honour is conferred to an individual or a family for bringing fame to VW in Sri Lanka and this year’s honour was presented to the Nanayakkara family for three generations of ownership of VW Beetles.

The oration was presented by Dr. Aruni Nanayakkara, the third generation member of the family who spoke of the family affair with VW Beetles and the many generations of VW Beetle ownership who loved and cherished the mighty ‘Beetle’. The award was presented to Dr. Nanayakkara by Kapila Jayawardena, Patron of the Club.

This was followed with the awarding of certificates and a club t-shirt specially turned out for the event.

A raffle was held with the kind courtesy of Wurth Lanka which gave 10 consolation prizes which was topped by a dinner for two at a leading 5-star hotel.

In his vote of thanks, Ruwan Punchihewa – Vice President of the Club thanked the Galle Face Hotel for the assistance in sponsoring the start of the celebration and the Mount Lavinia Hotel for their kind assistance in sponsoring the grand finale and for all the efforts taken in making the event a resounding success. He went on to thank the Police for an excellent job done in guiding the parade along the way and Wurth Lanka for their kind sponsorship and 96.6FM for its radio and TV coverage of the event.

The day’s event ended with three hearty cheers to VW which was followed by an excellent spread with a tinge of Germany that was put together by Ralf Vogt, Director Operations F&B that was enjoyed by all.