Rats Nest Run In

Rats Nest Run In brings four days of hot rod culture to Blackthorne Resort in East Durham, New York, Aug. 12–15, 2027. The festival centers on pre-1972 hot rods, rat rods and custom vehicles, and the resort holds 100 hotel rooms, 400 campsites, a restaurant and a full bar on site.

A burnout pit anchors the weekend, and a Jumbo Tron live feed lets spectators follow the action without standing at the pit. Two tire machines run through the event. Monster truck runs, mud trucks and a Martini Hour round out the schedule.

The Hot Rod and Antique Flea Market brings vendors selling automotive parts and finds, and bands play all day on two stages. Saturday night features a tribute band performance and a fireworks show, and drive-in movies screen on the Jumbo Tron after the bands finish each night.

Contests pay cash prizes. The $1,000 Pin Up Contest includes junior and all-level classes, and the $1,000 Budget Burnout Competition challenges builders to spend no more than $2,000 on a hot rod, with $300 paid to each competitor who finishes. Ratwood Derby racing kits sell for $5 at the souvenir stand, and the Lucky Boy Beard Contest awards cash for the best beard.

Hard Core Thursday gives the first 100 fans who attend all four days a T-shirt along with a welcome barbecue and a movie on the Jumbo Tron. Saturday at noon, the Great American Start Up features the National Anthem, a red, white and blue burnout and a start-up of every car on the property. Drivers using GPS navigation should enter Cairo as the destination.