KINGSPORT – PETWORKS Animal Services is hosting its very first “Big Dog” auto show this Saturday in Kingsport.

The fundraising event will feature approximately 100 classic cars, trucks and motorcycles, with all proceeds going to the operations of PETWORKS ‘new facility on East Stone Drive.

Joe Herron, PETWORKS advisory board member and event organizer, said if Saturday’s auto show goes well, expect to see a bigger one next year.

“It will be a fun day for family and friends and hopefully a great day with hundreds of people out there,” Herron said. “We always want people to be careful. We encourage people to wear masks and keep social distance, but people need to get out of the house and have a little fun, and that will give them the chance to do so.

ABOUT THE EVENT

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the new PETWORKS shelter at 3101 E. Stone Drive in Kingsport. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with a donation fee of $ 10 per vehicle. Herron said donations of dog and cat food would also be greatly appreciated.

The Pharaoh Club, Northeast Tennessee Mustang Club and Fall Branch Club are expected to attend and display their classic vehicles. Mitch Walters of Friendship Ford will be on hand to display a selection of his Indian motorcycles.

Herron said you can expect to see around 100 classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles. The parking lot has 72 striped spaces and PETWORKS plans to park additional vehicles in the grass between the lot and Stone Drive.

And if you want to promote your business, tent pitches are available for rent for $ 50. Call 247-1671 for more information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The five-hour event will include guided tours of the new shelter, opportunities to adopt a cat or dog, food and drink, and music by Cash Revisited and Friends and a Willie Nelson impersonator. Kingsport Police Department will be on hand to help direct traffic and pedestrians in and out of the nearby parking lot.

Herron said the vehicles will not be judged this year, but hope next year if a similar event is held.

“It’s just to present the shelter and show off their wonderful vehicles. Every car that comes in is a winner because it supports the animal shelter, ”Herron said. “If it goes really well, as it should, then we’ll do one next year and hopefully it’s bigger than this one.”

PETWORKS is the non-profit organization that operates the animal shelter in Kingsport. Last fall, he cut the ribbon for his new state-of-the-art facility on East Stone Drive. The 17,000 square foot facility is more than double the size of its former home and is capable of accommodating 180 animals, with isolation rooms for dogs and cats, dedicated adoption spaces, an educational area for animal care and training, larger employee workspaces and a 1.2 acre dog park at the back of the property.