Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
More than 750 Jeeps and several thousand Jeep aficionados have targeted Pigeon Forge for the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion.
The one-day event is Aug. 29, 2015 indoors at the LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge.
“This is only our third year for this showcase event, and we’ve grown enough to need a major indoor facility,” said Pete Brookman, president of the Smoky Mountain Jeep Club.
The club is headquartered in Maryville, Tenn., and has more than 850 members.
Its first Jeep Invasion was in Townsend in 2013, and the second one was in Pigeon Forge in 2014. Both were outdoor events.
“Being indoors in August at the LeConte Event Center will make this a quite different event and will attract even more people to see a wide variety of Jeeps. Some are true classics, and others are really tricked-out newer models,” Brookman said.
Local and national Jeep parts vendors selling Jeep accessories, as well as other suppliers of outdoor and off-road products, will be part of the event. Early vendor registrants are from Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Michigan.
The 2014 event drew between 1,500 and 2,000 participants and spectators from 17 states, some as distant as Wisconsin and New York. Contingents from Jeep clubs in New York and Illinois also attended.
The event’s “All Jeep Show” will have vehicles on display for judging in several competition categories. The event will be open to the public. Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion admission tickets are $5.
“We have had other car and vehicle shows in the LeConte Event Center, and the Jeep Invasion should be a lot of fun,” said facility manager Phil Campbell. “It will take full advantage of our biggest space, LeConte Hall, which covers 100,500 square feet.”
The LeConte Event Center, a City of Pigeon Forge facility, opened in 2013. It is designed for tradeshows, faith-based conferences, athletic competitions and other events.
Jeep Invasion details are at GreatSmokyMountainJeepInvasion.com.
