Big wheels make for a fun deal at Kidron Touch-A-Truck

For kids, the awe of being next to and exploring big rigs, heavy machinery and impressive farm equipment is always an exciting venture, and Kidron Mennonite Church will provide that experience and more to kids and their families.

The second annual Kidron Mennonite Church Touch-A-Truck event will be held Saturday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kidron Mennonite Church.

This is a free community event, and along with a chance to touch and explore all the big rigs will come the chance to talk to many of the operators of the vehicles.

Whether it is a giant combine, a school bus, a fire truck, four-wheelers, bulldozers, dump trucks or emergency vehicles, kids should have a blast exploring the show.

Last year’s Touch-A-Truck saw more than 700 attendees visit the church grounds, with parents and grandparents bringing their young ones.

“We had a wonderful turnout last year, and we hope to reach even more families this year,” said Emily Sullivan, event coordinator.

Last year saw close to 50 different vehicles involved with the show, and Sullivan said this year should be just as riveting with plenty of options for the children to experience, but this day is more than just about things on wheels and tracks.

The Chick-fil-A food truck will be there along with three other food trucks, providing plenty of food that will allow families to spend the entire morning and afternoon exploring the vehicles.

Plus, there will be some free munchies to tide people over.

“We’ll be handing out free popcorn, bottled water and sno-cones,” Sullivan said.

For those who don’t know what a Touch-A-Truck event looks like, picture the church grounds and parking lot littered with more than 50 vehicles like the aforementioned lineup and even a massive crane truck that soars high into the sky.

Kids and adults will be able to touch, explore and take photos with big rigs they usually only see on the road, working in the fields or perhaps miniature versions at home.

Families also can take a ride on a small tractor with mini hay wagons around the church. Not only can kids experience these trucks up close and personal, but also they can walk away with some gifts. There is a grand prize of a toy excavator and dump truck for which attendees can sign up.

In order to get kids in the mood to dive into the big truck experience, they will receive a special gift as they enter.

“We will be handing out child-size construction hats to kids with our church mission statement of 'Living and Building the Kingdom of God,'” Sullivan said. “We hope that Touch-A-Truck is a fun kickoff to summer.”

Parking for the event will be available at the church and across the road at Central Christian School.

Kidron Mennonite is located at 3987 Kidron Road in Kidron.