Touch-a-Truck split into noisy and quiet sessions on Sunday

Kids of all ages will have a chance to check out some big rigs at the popular Touch-a-Truck event, from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 23, at the parking lot by Volunteer Park. Attendees will get to see many kinds of work vehicles, including fire trucks, police cars, bulldozers, dump trucks and more.

This is the seventh such event held in Wrangell, with one year staged as a parade due to COVID restrictions.

While it’s normally held on a Saturday, Parks and Recreation Coordinator Devyn Johnson said she wanted kids to be able to come to this event as well as participate in Family Fishing Day on Saturday, so the trucks just backed up a day to Sunday.

Johnson began organizing the annual display of heavy equipment and emergency vehicles in 2018 after her sister told her about a similar event where she took her kids in eastern Washington state. She realized that her children had unique access to such vehicles, and she wanted to share with others in the community.

“My husband’s on the fire department and he works in construction,” she said. “There are a lot of kids who don’t have that opportunity.”

Johnson also has hopes that after several years of trying, the U.S. Coast Guard will be able to attend this year with a rescue helicopter to display at the event, barring emergencies that call for a helicopter response.

If the helicopter does make an appearance, it will be from 1 to 2 p.m., when sirens and horns will be allowed to wail and blare. Hearing protection will be made available, but for those sensitive to loud noises Johnson recommends they attend from 2 to 3 p.m., when the vehicles will be silent.

For more information, call Parks and Recreation at 907-874-2444.

 

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