By: Discover Dodge Tourism – Juneau, WI
The 27th Truck-n-Show will be held in Waupun on Friday, August 12 through Saturday, August 13. This is a festival you won’t want to miss! The truck show has hundreds of trucks come every year from all over the United States and Canada! This event brings the beautifully detailed trucks to the show for everyone to enjoy and admire. Truckers come to show off their rigs, enjoy the friendship of fellow drivers, and enjoy the appreciation of thousands of spectators who stroll the grounds.
A shuttle service takes spectators from designated parking areas to the festival grounds. Parking is not available on the grounds because every spot is needed for trucks!
The truck show began many years ago after some community members went to an event called “Touch-a-Truck”. While many see “big rigs” rolling down the highways, “Touch-a-Truck” enabled spectators to see the awesome vehicles up close and even look inside. This inspired the start of the Truck-n-Show festival in Waupun.
Everyone loves parades and there are two parades at the festival. They are held on Main Street in downtown Waupun. A Friday night parade occurs at 9:00 p.m. The city turns off all of the street lights on Main Street so the trucks can display their amazing array of lights! The Saturday parade at 3:00 p.m. enables spectators to see the beautiful murals and other works of art on each truck. This year’s afternoon parade will feature a “Jake Brake Contest”!
You will also find exhibits, vendors, food, entertainment and children’s area at the festival. The children’s area includes free games and inflatable rides. Saturday morning activities includes a pancake breakfast.
Admission to the Truck-n-Show festival grounds is free. Visitors may look at the beautiful trucks up close and look inside the trucks. The technology and changes that have occurred in the big trucks is interesting. All sizes of trucks are featured from big rigs to straight trucks to proud owners of their pick ups.
While there, you can enjoy good food and drinks, lots of great music and meet many amazing truck drivers! Friday night bands will entertain in the Community Center and also next to the Firemen’s tent. A fee is charged for the Saturday night dance and entertainment in the Community Center.
The Waupun Truck-n-Show is a nonprofit organization run completely by volunteers. Besides putting on a fantastic show, organizers take pride in raising money for Special Olympics, Make-a-Wish Foundation and for a local family with financial needs due to illness. To help raise money, an auction is held to determine the first through fifth position in the parade with all of the proceeds going to the Convoy of Special Olympics. High bidders determine the lead positions in the annual “Lights of the Night Parade” held Friday, August 12 at 7 p.m. Thousands of dollars have been raised for the athletes over the past 26 years. Saturday’s auction at 12:15 p.m. will also determine the first through fifth positions, with all the proceeds going to Make-a-Wish of WI.
Events run from 8 a.m. to after midnight on Friday and Saturday. The festival grounds is located on Spring Street in Waupun. For a full schedule of events go to www.waupunfestivals.com.
