For years, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche enthusiasts made a yearly pilgrimage to Helen, Georgia for a weekend of Alpine ambiance dubbed “Southern Wörthersee”. Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountain served as the backdrop, and the tiny hamlet’s 500 permanent residents entertained with Alpinesque architecture, entertainment and dining. However, as the event grew in popularity and began to draw crowds of thousands, it became clear that SoWo would need to relocate to a city with more space.

The European Experience is SoWo’s spiritual successor, now located in the beachside resort town of Savannah. The event itself has expanded to formally include all vehicles of European origin, with a car show, timed events, a vendor area and group cruises in store for attendees. Miss the Audi 80? You’ll find them, restored or tastefully modified, at EuEx. Corrado and Scirocco fan? They’ll be there in Nugget Yellow and Colibri Green. This is the place to spot a a Techno Blue Volkswagen EuroVan, dumped on Air Lift suspension, sitting on fat Fifteen52 wheels, just as you remember it from childhood — more or less.

Of course, an event of this scale draws its fair share of Asian and American vehicle enthusiasts, too. As noted in this Speedhunters coverage of SoWo in 2014, some of the best vehicles in attendance are actually found outside of the formal show events. It’s a weekend to celebrate car culture at large, and as the event expands in scope, so will the diversity of vehicles in attendance.

EuEx kicks off with a pre-show Beach Day at Tybee Island on Thursday, May 14. Events run throughout Sunday, May 15th with an awards ceremony to close the show at 3 PM. More information is available on the European Experience website.

Are you going to The European Experience, or have you been to SoWo before? We’d love to see your project — especially if it runs on Pull-A-Part parts. Send us an Instagram, and hashtag it with #PullAPartLife.

THERE'S MORE TO PULL-A-PART THAN CHEAP USED AUTO PARTS