In East Tennessee, you’re about as likely to see a car show on the weekend as you are to see footballs flying through the air on a fall Friday night. Simply put, people around these parts love their classic cars and like showing them off even more.
Sevierville and The Diner Rats Car Club will get into the act later this month (September 23, 24, and 25) with their annual Great Smoky Mountain Autofest, held yearly at Smokies Stadium, just off Interstate 40. It’s a great show for those of you who don’t want to battle the crowds at the Pigeon Forge Rod Runs, but still want to take in a car show that reflects the vast genres seen at the yearly Rod Runs and Shades of the Past car shows. Autofest registration is open to the first 800 cars and by the looks of things last year, the lot fills up quick.
As in years past, this is an open event to all years, makes and models from classics, antiques, street rods, customs, originals and special interests. There will also be cars for sale, car vendors promoting their products, a swap meet, a craft sale, food, as well as shopping opportunities – basically something for everyone.
The schedule (subject to change) looks something like this:
- Thursday night – “Cruise in” at The Diner in Sevierville. The Diner offers plenty of great American food and a large lot for, you go it – cruising.
- Friday night – Come to downtown Sevierville for what is being billed as an “Old City Block Party” with live bands, food and festivities.
- Saturday – Gates open at 8 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. at Smokies Stadium, and there will be giveaways, awards, and cash drawings, including a motor and a transmission giveaway.
The Great Smoky Mountain Autofest and other regional car shows were brought about because there are still many of us who remember the days of working on engines that were big enough to sit in and take a nap if we wanted. These days, if you drop a wrench in there you’ll probably never see it again… unless you have a 5 year old with a pencil-thin arm that can wiggle through the belts, hoses, wires, etc. The bodies of these classic automobiles could be fixed with a hammer, bondo, and paint. Now you have to know how to work with fiberglass and take half the car apart just to replace an air filter. Let’s face it…if the “old days” and these cars weren’t so great, you’d never see them at shows like this. These cars are amazing… the people that love them are passionate… and Sevierville, TN is a great backdrop to the Great Smoky Mountains to show off these bad boys. It’s time to get this show on the road!