The Spring Rod Run begins, and by the fall festival, new regulations regarding roadside automobile sales should be implemented.

The Spring Rod Run kicks off, and new laws governing roadside car sales ought to be put into effect by the October event. Tennessee / Pigeon Forge — Thousands of auto enthusiasts descended to East Tennessee on Thursday to see the official opening of the Pigeon Forge Rod Run show. Many of the people in attendance claimed to have visited Rod Run as children. According to the organizers, there were hundreds of display cars this year, along with a car corral, awards for some of the vehicles, and a $8,000 cash offer.

The Rod Run event started in Gatlinburg in the 1970s as an unofficial event hosted by a Maryville car club. Gatlinburg no longer wanted to host the event by 1982, and so it moved north to Pigeon Forge, according to organizers. The event usually includes car enthusiasts selling cars on the side of the road, and advertising deals for models and years that may catch the eyes of collectors. However, Pigeon Forge leaders said an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Transportation requires that change. TDOT owns the parkway and the right-of-way associated with it, including the first row of parking lots in front of nearby businesses. It leases the parking spots to Pigeon Forge with the stipulation that cars parked there can’t have any advertising for more than 72 hours. The city then subleases those spots to businesses.