The Lake Cumberland Poker Run hosted by State Dock in September has long been a premier event when it comes to poker runs across the United States. But up until the past few years, there weren’t many other must-run events in that area of the country. Now, thanks to a handful of dedicated boaters in the Kentucky and Tennessee areas, there is an enjoyable, affordable and charitable group of runs to choose from in the region.

While the half-dozen events in and around Tennessee between May and September may be in competition for participants, as well as sponsors, you’d never know it by talking to the organizers of the various poker runs.

“Myself and Gerald Brown, who lives in Chattanooga too, discussed bringing a poker run to this area and using our insight on what people do right and what people do wrong at poker runs we’ve attended to bring a fun, safe event to our neck of the woods,” said Mark Godsey, one of the organizers behind the Chattanooga Fun Run (May 10-11) on Chickamauga Lake, which benefits the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hamilton County. “We wanted to put together a run that was affordable, benefited a good cause and was, most of all, fun. Between the natural setting and beautiful scenery that hasn’t been commercialized with houses and other development and the wide-open, deep, clean lake, this is a perfect place for a poker run.”

Read more: Volunteer Meets Bluegrass for a Poker Run Resurgence