Do you or someone in your family have a love for cars? To be more specific, do you or that family member enjoy lusting over classic cars from the past? If this is the case, and you or your family happen to be planning a vacation to Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains, then you might think of planning it around the beginning of September. This will ensure that your vacation coincides with the famous Shades of the Past Rod Run, an annual car show event in Pigeon Forge. 2011 marks the 29th edition of this much-loved event.
On September 9th and 10th, the main Parkway of Pigeon Forge becomes a veritable showroom for a wide variety of classic cars. In the past, the types of vehicles present have included muscle cars, customized cars, hot rods, and other varieties of classic automobiles. This “blast from the past” event plays host to a consistently large turnout, as visitors from all over bring lawn chairs and the like to take their seats along the Parkway and admire the cars that parade down the strip. For this reason, transportation through Pigeon Forge becomes difficult during these dates. So, even if you have no interest in this event, it definitely pays to be aware of it if you plan to be in the area around this time; if this is the case, then you should plan alternate ways of getting around, as it has been noted that walking through Pigeon Forge is often faster than driving during this car show.
The event also hosts a contest to judge the best of the cars on display. A best in show award will be presented, as well as a list of the top twenty-five vehicles, with a “Fabulous Five” being chosen from among these. On the 10th these top twenty-five cars will be on display for attendees to admire. There will also be awards presented in specific categories, such as a top five muscle car selection. With so many different varieties of classic cars to behold, any car enthusiast in your family will on cloud nine at this event.
Check out the Shades of the Past Rod Run website to get more information and a schedule of events.
Here’s a cool slideshow from a past Rod Run: