To give you some idea of the tone of the proceedings at the annual Roswell2K gathering for NW VW Beetle owners in New Mexico this June 17 to 19, consider the pricing policy for the Saturday night concert.
(By the way, if you don't know the significance of Roswell, New Mexico, to the inter-galactic universe, you may as well move on to the next story, since you are not likely to take this event in.)
In the first place, the Galactic Concert Direct from Las Vegas is called The Beetles Meet The Beatles. WITH ELVIS!!!, and it's sponsored in part by something called the Roswell Occupancy Tax Board. But the defining aspect of the Galactic Concert Direct From etc. etc. is that tickets for this event are $8, unless you're not driving a New Beetle, in which case your vehicle ''will be destroyed by the Mothership.''
So be warned that if you take part in one of the six caravans crossing the U.S. on the way to the middle of New Mexico (with the Central Caravan starting in Hamilton, Ontario) in something other than a New Beetle that you will have to walk back.
Before that happens, however, you'll want to go into the McDonald's parking lot in Roswell to pose next to the new mural, which plays nicely to the town's galactic importance in the known and unknown universe.
No matter what a person's level of devotion to the car, the 6th Annual Roswell2K gathering is a fine place for New Beetle owners and enthusiasts to show off their rides and hobnob with other fanatics from all over the world.
Apparently hundreds of New Beetle owners and thousands of spectators, will descend on Roswell for ''three days of fun, including a car show with trophies, displays from New Beetle parts manufacturers, the Parade of Colors through town, parties, rallies, and more.''
During the week preceding the event, six New Beetle caravans will launch from starting points throughout the U.S. and of course Hamilton and make a cross-country "B(eetle)line" for Roswell.
The Central Route out of The Steel City goes through Detroit, Dayton, St. Louis and Oklahoma City before arriving in New Mexico.
Other routes leave from Virginia, LA, Denver, Houston and Atlanta.
Once the participants are in Roswell, there is quite a lot for them to do, and it's easy to see how the whole thing could be a laugh if you're in the right mood. How often do you get to dress up as aliens and go to a AAA baseball game before watching Beetles drag race, after all? Almost never, right?
Roswell2K apparently grew out of two significant New Beetle occurrences.
The first was an online frenzy generated by the car's official launch in 1998. As new cars left dealer showrooms for the open road, VW enthusiast websites excitedly ''buzzed'' with initial New Beetle ''sightings'' from across the continent.
In 1999, given Roswell's reputation as the site of an alleged UFO crash in the 1940s, the event was firmly set following the airing of a New Beetle commercial stating (tongue firmly in cheek) that the car was ''reverse-engineered by UFOs.''
The rest, as they say, is history, and a dream opportunity for the Roswell Occupancy Tax Board.
For any other questions, interested parties are advised to contact the ''Head Alien'' at alien@roswell2K.org or check out the website at www.roswell2K.org.
photo:VW of America
(By the way, if you don't know the significance of Roswell, New Mexico, to the inter-galactic universe, you may as well move on to the next story, since you are not likely to take this event in.)
In the first place, the Galactic Concert Direct from Las Vegas is called The Beetles Meet The Beatles. WITH ELVIS!!!, and it's sponsored in part by something called the Roswell Occupancy Tax Board. But the defining aspect of the Galactic Concert Direct From etc. etc. is that tickets for this event are $8, unless you're not driving a New Beetle, in which case your vehicle ''will be destroyed by the Mothership.''
So be warned that if you take part in one of the six caravans crossing the U.S. on the way to the middle of New Mexico (with the Central Caravan starting in Hamilton, Ontario) in something other than a New Beetle that you will have to walk back.
Before that happens, however, you'll want to go into the McDonald's parking lot in Roswell to pose next to the new mural, which plays nicely to the town's galactic importance in the known and unknown universe.
No matter what a person's level of devotion to the car, the 6th Annual Roswell2K gathering is a fine place for New Beetle owners and enthusiasts to show off their rides and hobnob with other fanatics from all over the world.
Apparently hundreds of New Beetle owners and thousands of spectators, will descend on Roswell for ''three days of fun, including a car show with trophies, displays from New Beetle parts manufacturers, the Parade of Colors through town, parties, rallies, and more.''
During the week preceding the event, six New Beetle caravans will launch from starting points throughout the U.S. and of course Hamilton and make a cross-country "B(eetle)line" for Roswell.
The Central Route out of The Steel City goes through Detroit, Dayton, St. Louis and Oklahoma City before arriving in New Mexico.
Other routes leave from Virginia, LA, Denver, Houston and Atlanta.
Once the participants are in Roswell, there is quite a lot for them to do, and it's easy to see how the whole thing could be a laugh if you're in the right mood. How often do you get to dress up as aliens and go to a AAA baseball game before watching Beetles drag race, after all? Almost never, right?
Roswell2K apparently grew out of two significant New Beetle occurrences.
The first was an online frenzy generated by the car's official launch in 1998. As new cars left dealer showrooms for the open road, VW enthusiast websites excitedly ''buzzed'' with initial New Beetle ''sightings'' from across the continent.
In 1999, given Roswell's reputation as the site of an alleged UFO crash in the 1940s, the event was firmly set following the airing of a New Beetle commercial stating (tongue firmly in cheek) that the car was ''reverse-engineered by UFOs.''
The rest, as they say, is history, and a dream opportunity for the Roswell Occupancy Tax Board.
For any other questions, interested parties are advised to contact the ''Head Alien'' at alien@roswell2K.org or check out the website at www.roswell2K.org.
photo:VW of America