By Tommy Lee Byrd – Images by the Author
Some car shows simply can’t be contained by barriers, and the Pigeon Forge Rod Run is a prime example. This event occurs twice a year, with a Spring event in April and a Fall event in September, and it’s always packed with hot rods, muscle cars, and wild Pro Street combinations. The show itself is held at the LeConte Center, a beautiful convention center, nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. It features a great selection of customized cars and trucks, as well as a huge turnout of vendors and special attractions. It features indoor and outdoor areas and is always well attended.
Even though the show is popular, the real “wow” factor typically comes from the miles of cars lining the streets of Pigeon Forge. This town is set up nicely for cruising, but the traffic gets thick on Saturday, so most folks cruise earlier in the week. The show starts on Thursday, and many people arrive days in advance to get things started and enjoy the lowkey atmosphere before the masses roll into town. Thousands of cars fill every local parking lot, and all of the hotels are lined with cool cars, making it quite a spectacle as you work your way through town.
This year’s Spring Rod Run was plagued with bad weather, with rain on Thursday and Friday, followed by unseasonably cool temperatures on Saturday. The event still drew a big crowd, and we enjoyed checking out all the wild combinations. In our highlights, you’ll see some high-horsepower street cars, all-out customs, and several old-school Pro Street setups that’ll turn back the clocks.
The next Pigeon Forge Rod Run is September 11-13, 2025, so book your hotel room and make it happen. This event has something for every Chevy enthusiast, so check out rodrun-pigeonforge.com for more information.
