Visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee are fascinated by Bigfoot. Stores sell Bigfoot paraphernalia, giant wooden and metal cutouts are placed in yards of houses, and reported sightings abound. Is it possible that the sightings are not Bigfoot but the tall, hairy aliens called Wookiees? These creatures, made famous in Star Wars, resemble Sasquatch but have a unique howl.
According to the Wookies in The Woods website, the howl of the Wookiee is eerily similar to the exhaust note of the Volkswagen R32 hot hatch. Legend has it that the call of the Wookiee was heard echoing through the mountains one evening in the mid-2000s as a lone driver enjoyed a fast run down a twisty mountain road. This call summoned others to the mountains, and the Wookies in the Woods event was created in 2007.
Event organizers say the number of attendees in R32s, Golf Rs, GTIs, and other Volkswagens has grown from a handful to more than 800.
Held near US 129, the Tail of the Dragon, Wookies in the Woods is a lighthearted driving event on the fantastic roads of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Many come to show off their cars. Some are highly modified, some sport garish paint jobs, and some are just as they left the showroom floor.
Owners enjoy events, food, and prize giveaways. Much of the event’s proceeds support charities, including the local Blount County Rescue Squad and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. The event has raised over a quarter of a million dollars for charity.
If you are interested in attending, more information can be found at
