Calloway Ledford, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, poses beside his 1969 Camaro at the 2025 Cruise the Smokies Cherokee Spring Rod Run held at the old Cherokee High School site in Cherokee, N.C. on April 26, 2025. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The late, great Elvis Presley once said, “Life is too short to drive boring cars.” The King was a true car lover and amassed an incredible collection of over 200 vehicles.
If you identify with that passion, it’s time to cruise down to see some great vintage cars as the Cruise the Smokies Cherokee Spring Rod Run is almost here! This year’s event, hosted annually by the Cherokee Rodders, is scheduled for April 24-25 at the old Cherokee High School site in Cherokee, N.C., and it is free to the public.
As of lunchtime at last year’s event, there were 459 cars registered for the event. So, if you like hot rods, this will be the place to be.
The mission statement of the Cherokee Rodders sums up their welcoming attitude. “At Cherokee Rodders, we strive to provide a unique and unforgettable experience for all registered Car Show participants. Our mission is to bring together like-minded individuals to enjoy two days of viewing fantastically restored classic automobiles, renewing old friendships and the possibility of winning fabulous monetary prizes and trophies. In addition, we want our spectators to enjoy the experience of seeing such fabulous automobiles.”
Charles Bryson, Cherokee Rodders chairperson, told the One Feather at last year’s event, “What we try to do is we try to give back to the community as much as possible…we want to give back to the people that come to the show. So, as you register, as you come in and buy tickets for anything, everything we do we give back.”
He added, “At the end of the day, if we make a dollar, we’re going to give that dollar away. That’s kind of our motto.”
If you have a 1985 or older vehicle, you can pre-register for the show at this link: https://cherokeerodders.com/pre-register/
Following is a schedule of events:
- Thursday, April 23 (not open to the public)
- Vendor setup from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Onsite registration of vehicles 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Early Bird Show 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Participants can vote for an Early Bird Show winner.
- Evening Cruise at 5 p.m.
- Friday, April 24 (free public admission day)
- Gates open and registration starts at 8:30 a.m.
- Cash giveaways 4 p.m.
- Poker Run, raffles and 50/50 drawings throughout the day
- Saturday, April 25 (free public admission day)
- Gates open and registration starts at 8:30 a.m.
- Cash giveaways and announcement of winners 4 p.m.
- Poker Walk, raffles and 50/50 drawings throughout the day
For more information, visit https://cherokeerodders.com
