The VW festival: Car enthusiasts gather to show off their vintage splitscreen vans and Beetles at annual show From Camper Vans to Beetles, VWs were out in force this weekend 15,000 enthusiasts turned out to see them at Harewood House near Leeds Die-hard Volkswagen aficionados spent this weekend gathered at Harewood House in Yorkshire to show off their much-loved VWs great and small. The annual VW festival In Praise of All Things VW is now in its 9th year, gaining in popularity as owners arrive to show off their models and spectators marvel at the vintage cars on display. Around 15,000 people attended over the weekend, ending with the grand finale of the winners car parade on Sunday. Sooty Shuttleworth sits in his 1957 VW splitscreen, a former school bus from Australia at the In Praise Of All Things VW festival The festival at Harewood House near Leeds attracted 15,000 guests David Kooman proudly showing off his carefully restored 1966 VW Beetle Sean Starbuck's 1967 VW splitscreen VW on display in the grounds of the grand country house Some die-hard fans even turned up sporting VW tattoos or with dogs in specially made outfits. There was a great range in the condition of the sought-after cars as some older models looked rusty and unroadworthy, despite their enduring popularity. Volkswagen means 'people's car' in German and is currently the third largest carmaker in the world. The company was founded in 1937 in Germany to provide an affordable new car for the masses. One of the older models on display today, from 1957 A canine fan wearing a VW scarf to show his appreciation Dedicated Lee Horton from Pontefract with his VW tattoo One of the earliest models, the Volkswagen Beetle, in its original incarnation was first manufactured in 1938, and more than 21 million were sold before VW ended production of the cult design in 2003. Another classic design is the camper van, which allowed thousands of festivals the comfortable option of staying overnight in their vehicles rather than the discomfort of a tent. Elaborately restored, the camper van can make for a bedroom on wheels or even a very authentic-looking American diner, as one of the owners showed. Jo Thompson from Leeds sleeping with her dogs Bojangles and Basil in her VW camper van Charlie and Seth Rennie from Halifax playing in a 1969 Silvia VW camper A boy plays in his VW camper, which has been carefully made into a mobile American diner