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Motorcycles by the thousands are expected in Blount County today through Sunday for the 2008 Tennessee State H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group) Rally.

Traditionally state H.O.G. rallies draw 2,400 to 2,500, but Scott Maddux, owner of Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson & Buell in Maryville, said he conservatively estimates the “Smoke in the Mountains” rally will draw 3,500.

He won’t be surprised if this is the state group’s biggest H.O.G. rally ever.

“This area has become world renowned as a motorcycle riding destination,” Maddux said. “We have good highways and you can’t beat the Southern hospitality you have here. People that have visited have a tendency to talk about it when they go home and that brings others. We see so many of the same riders year after year. This has become a vacation place for them.”

The host lodging will be at the Valley View Lodge at 7726 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Townsend, but other events, including vendors and concerts, will be held at the Smoky Mountain Harley dealership at 1820 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway.

The H.O.G. events at the Valley View Lodge are private, but the dealership’s events are open to the public.

Herb Handly, executive vice president for tourism of Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau, said many of the Townsend lodging providers are full.

Townsend Visitors Bureau will be sponsoring its first Pottery Festival on Saturday and “many of our potters are from out of town. We had to find accommodations for them at the airport properties. I expect all over lodging providers will be sharing in the business,” Handly said.

Thus far motorcyclists from 47 states and foreign countries are among the 2,000 that pre-registered for the rally.

Maddux said he lobbied the state H.O.G. officials to hold the rally here “on the heels of the national rally that was held at Chilhowee Park (in Knoxville) last year. We hosted 4,000 to 5,000 people here at the dealership at any given time for that event.”
“A lot of people saw what the area has to offer motorcycle people for the first time then,” he added.

He said the H.O.G. rally committee chose to have the field trials and entertainment venue at Smoky Mountain Harley after a visit and the vendors also chose the venue for the vendor mall. The concerts will be held nightly at the Shed, which has a seating capacity of 4,000 to 5,000.

“Our music here is not just for motorcyclists. This is a private venue that features a lot of Americana music,” he said.

There will be 500 tickets available for the public. Last year at the national rally concerts were also held at The Shed. This year there will be a covered seating area in the garage that will hold 150 people and will have TV monitors that will broadcast the shows.

Maddux added, “We have always hired Maryville Police officers to be present for our events.”

People attending the concerts can also eat country food at The Shed, with barbecue, ribs, brisket, chicken, pinto beans and cole slaw.

Some of the motorcyclists attending the rally are renting Harleys from the dealership, which also has branches in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

Exclusive events for registered rally patrons will include 12-pack-to-go rides, $25,000 poker run, bike show, guided area rides, seminars, bonfires, nightly entertainment, field events and closing ceremonies at the Valley View Lodge.

The Visitors Bureau furnished 2,000 copies of the brochure “Circle the Smokies,” which recommends area motorcycle rides, to the rally committee.