White Pine, Tennessee
Article and photos by Larry Crain

Small town indoor car shows hardly ever get much exposure in print or on the web, and that is a shame, especially if they are for a good cause. In this case, the Annual Winter Angel Expo Vehicle & Motorcycle Show that was held in January at the Great Smoky Mountain Expo Center in the rural town of White Pine, Tennessee.

This two-day event is put on every year to raise funds for the Angel Tree Charities of the Hamblen County Car Club, which is the host for the show. The venue is capable of holding up to at least 150 vehicles, but being held in January and usually fighting bad weather, only around 75 vehicles turnout. This show also has vendors on hand selling auto related products or crafts. The low gate fee of $5 for adults and free for children under 12 makes it affordable for the public so there usually is a good crowd on hand to look at the hot rods, classics and customs that have entered the show.

I have attended this show 2 years in a row and really wish the auto enthusiasts would step up and support events like this. Supporting your local car club and the charities they support should not stop when the weather changes. I’m very proud to say that I knew quite a few of the registered participants that came out this year and almost every year in support of this event.

Hopefully next year’s show will be bigger and in December I will be sure to remind you, my fellow gearheads, that the show is taking place in January of 2018. For more information on this show visit the Winter Angel Expo Facebook page or www.winterangelexpocarshow.com