NORWICH – Beep! Beep! What’s that in your rearview mirror? It’s the Colorscape Volkswagon bus – a classic 1970 VW bus lovingly restored and painted with colorful flowers reminiscent of the spirit of the 1960s and 70s.

The VW bus will make its debut in NBT’s 150th Anniversary parade in downtown Norwich on July 15, and will be on display in the lobby of the Northeastern Classic Car Museum prior to the Colorscape Arts Festival on Sept. 9 and 10, in Norwich, where it will be featured in West Park Place.

Why paint a bus? It came about by happenstance. Ann Stevens, a freelance graphic artist from Norwich who has designed Colorscape’s logo and advertising for many years, came across a photo of an old VW bus with painted flowers to use as a basis for this year’s advertising campaign.

When postcards featuring the painted bus were delivered to The Label Gallery, a printing company in Norwich, Chris Ulatowski, owner of the company and a collector of vintage vehicles, saw the design as it was being printed.

“I looked at the postcard and said, ‘That’s a VW bus!’ I went home and talked to my wife (Ana) and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to donate our VW bus to Colorscape to use for their advertising?’ She thought it was great idea,” said Ulatowski. Chris and Ana have been avid supporters of Colorscape from the very beginning and have always believed in helping out the community.