More than anything, Holley LS Fest is a gathering. Far from being a typical car show, the event draws together far-flung individuals to celebrate a common bond created by General Motors' LS and LT engine platforms. Every vehicle in attendance is powered by one of these engines, and their owners relish the opportunity to compare notes with enthusiasts who share their performance ideas and to compete against like-minded individuals.

There are now LS Fest events held in Las Vegas and Forth Worth, but Holley LS Fest East in Bowling Green, Kentucky, remains the standard bearer for the name. The 2022 edition was the 13th for the original LS Fest, and as always, it ignited Beech Bend Park for three days in September with the roar of revving engines and the scent of tire smoke as part of an all-out celebration. As always, both crate engines* and built or swapped power plants were prominently featured.

Throughout each event weekend, traffic is snarled on the two-lane road leading to Beech Bend, a country highway lined on either side by split-rail fences, stately Southern homes and sprawling fields of Kentucky bluegrass. Once on the grounds, an amusement park – highlighted by a vintage-style wooden roller coaster known as the "Kentucky Rumbler" – is the first thing that comes into view. Down a hilly road lie both an oval track and a drag strip featuring classic wooden grandstands.

Among the festivities at this year's LS Fest event was the always-massive Show 'n Shine car show which covered nearly every square inch of the grounds at Beech Bend Park, along with part of the amusement park on Saturday. Drag racing, drifting and autocross events also took place, with the latter two held on the oval track, and cars competing in each discipline filling their respective pit areas. 

Additionally, the Burnout Challenge was held on the track's infield on Saturday evening, while a Dyno Challenge spelled out horsepower numbers for participants' bragging rights throughout the weekend. More than 100 vendors also sold their wares for each of the event's three days.

An off-road course was built in front of the grounds in the shadow of the Kentucky Rumbler, while road course events were contested on the track at the nearby National Corvette Museum. 

While some participants focused solely on one event, one of the most popular programs each year is the LS Fest Grand Champion contest, which crowns its winners based on who turns in the best overall performance in drag racing, autocross and the 3S Challenge (Speed, Stop, Steering).

Meanwhile, Scott Sheridan was attending the event with his 1964 Corvette powered by a Chevrolet Performance LS376/525 crate engine.* Sheridan lives in Lake Worth, Florida, and has been attending a variety of automotive events since retiring from the banking industry.

"I think these are kindred spirits," he said of attendees at the major automotive events he's attended. "I mean these people are genuinely good people."

He called LS Fest, "the best, without question" and noted that he believes the LS platform has brought new life to the performance hobby. While he primarily was participating in the car show, he also took the opportunity in Bowling Green to try something new. Before this year's LS Fest East he had never been on a drag strip, but decided to head down the asphalt aisle in his Corvette during the weekend. He clocked a 12.2-second pass at 108 mph.

An extensive photo gallery from the event is below. Also, be sure to keep watching The BLOCK for much more from LS Fest East, along with other races and shows across the country.

*Because of their effect on a vehicle's emissions performance, these engines are intended exclusively for use in competition vehicles. These engines are designed and intended for use in vehicles operated exclusively for competition: in racing or organized competition on courses separate from public streets or highways. Installation or use of these engines on a vehicle operated on public streets or highways is likely to violate U.S., Canadian, and state and provincial laws and regulations related to motor vehicle emissions.