May 02 2009   Story: Bryan Joslin, Photos by Author

Popularity has its challenges. Just ask the guys who put on BimmerFest, the largest gathering of BMW enthusiasts in the country. For the past few years, the popular event has taken place at the beautiful Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, California. And while the venue, which normally hosts equestrian events, served its purpose well for both showgoers and vendors, the facility pretty much reached its capacity last year.

With no signs of becoming a smaller event anytime in the near future, the show was in desperate need of a more suitable location. Fortunately the event's organizers found an ideal replacement just down the road at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club. The new venue, which placed all participants on the beautifully maintained polo grounds, seemed an appropriate place to celebrate the tenth annual BimmerFest gathering.

As usual, the show included the entire spectrum of BMWs, ranging from vintage models like 507s and Isettas to the newest Z4 roadster, and everything else in between. The variety of styles was just as broad, including everything from showroom-original classics to super-tuned M cars - and there were plenty of M cars. Perhaps most impressive was the sheer volume of well-kept and well-restored mid-Eighties Bimmers, especially E30 3 Series and E28 5 Series cars. The wide-open, flat show field featured row after row of great cars and was a welcome relief from past years, where many of the late arrivals were forced to park between stables once the main lot filled up.

At the center of the showgrounds stood the vendor area, a tent city of some of the biggest names in the BMW aftermarket- Brembo, BBS, Active Autowerks, VF Engineering, Bimmian, Horsepower Freaks and many more. Having the vendors outside made them feel more like part of the show compared to the indoor vendor areas in the past.

Hopefully BimmerFest 2009 was a success for both the organizers and the hosts. A 2010 return to the enchanting Polo Club would be welcome, as the number of passionate BMW owners is unlikely to dwindle between now and next May. Cheers for another excellent event, and we look forward to BimmerFest 2010.