There are Saturdays when Broad Street is made for cruising.

And then there is Saturday, October 3, when several hundred yards of downtown Rome become a parking lot we actually want to walk through.

The Armuchee Ruritan Club’s Cars on Broad returns to the 300 and 400 blocks of Broad Street, bringing cars, trucks and automotive enthusiasts downtown as part of this year’s Fiddlin’ Fest. The club says this will be its only car show of 2026.

This year comes with a little extra star power. Courtney Hansen, television host of Ride of Your Life and a longtime automotive enthusiast, is scheduled to appear as the show’s special guest. Hansen grew up around racing; her family formerly owned Minnesota’s Brainerd International Raceway, and her father won 27 Sports Car Club of America national championships.

Cars on Broad has roots well beyond polished paint and chrome. The Armuchee Ruritan Club began sponsoring car shows in 2002 as a fundraiser for its community work and joined Downtown Rome’s Fiddlin’ Fest in 2017. The club says the event has since become its primary fundraiser, supporting scholarships and other projects throughout the Armuchee community.

For those bringing a show vehicle, gates open at 9 a.m., with registration closing at noon. Advance registration is $25 per vehicle, while registration on the day of the show is $30. The event will be held rain or shine.

For everybody else, just come downtown and start walking.

Cars on Broad takes place during Fiddlin’ Fest, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. across the 100 through 400 blocks of Broad Street and the River District. The festival also includes live music, arts and crafts, food vendors, sidewalk sales and the Georgia’s Rome Plein Air Showcase, with free admission.

With that much happening within a few blocks, this is shaping up to be another weekend when the smartest travel plan may be very simple:

Stay in Rome.

Quick details

Cars on Broad — Saturday, October 3, 2026
Location: 300–400 blocks of Broad Street, Downtown Rome
Show vehicle entry: Beginning at 9 a.m.; registration closes at noon

Advance vehicle registration: $25
Day-of registration: $30
Special guest: Courtney Hansen, scheduled to appear