Touch-a-Truck
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (128837)
Gainesville, Florida
September 25, 2016 8:42am CST
We put on an amazing event yesterday called Touch-a-Truck. Many of you may have heard of, or even attended, a similar event in your community. Touch-a-Truck is where you invite businesses, organizations, and groups to bring out their large, unique or interesting trucks and equipment for public display, things people don't normally get to see up close.
We had several hundred trucks and pieces of equipment on display for the public to see, touch, ride, or climb on, including military equipment/vehicles, fire trucks, police cars, helicopters, heavy construction equipment, utility vehicles, tow trucks, semis and more!
Thousands of people attended the event, and it was a huge success! We offer the event once a year, and it has become an annual tradition that people in our community look forward to, especially children!
My favorite thing at the event yesterday was a hot air balloon. It was my first time ever riding in a hot air balloon!
Have you ever been to a Touch-a-Truck event in your community?
13 people like this
14 responses
@Happy2BeMe (99353)
• Canada
25 Sep 16
We do have a Touch-a-Truck event in our city. I have not been to it but my son went to it last weekend when it was going on. His little boy is almost two and he is fascinated with trucks so he loved this event. They had a lot of fun together as a family. So how was the hot air balloon ride? It is something I have always wanted to do. Maybe someday.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
The hot air balloon was pretty fun, although the balloon was tethered to a long cable so it wouldn't float away. Because of that, they only let you go so high in the air before they pulled the balloon back down. Someday, I would like to go on an actual hot air balloon ride, where we take off one morning and let the wind carry us to wherever it desires! Now that would be heaven!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
@Happy2BeMe I wonder how much it would cost to go on an actual balloon ride? To me, that would be the funnest thing ever!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
25 Sep 16
Never heard of that one before @moffittjc but it sounds like a blast. Here in our itty-bitty town, we have the antique cars at the Town Square every year. Those are so cool. I still want the '57 Chevy.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
@nanette64 That's what I miss most about old cars. When you open the hood, you can actually SEE the engine in there! And everything was reasonably easy to get to when you needed to work on something. And like you said, you could actually work on them yourself! Look under the hood of a car today...you can't even find the damn engine! Too many wires, hoses, computer components, pollution controls, etc.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
You sure you don't want an Edsel? I hear they were all the rage back in the day! LOL
I would love to have a '57 Chevy as well!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
25 Sep 16
@moffittjc Sorry but the Edsel is out. 
I did have a '53 Chevy and a '55 Buick at one time. They were good cars. And the best part about them? You could actually WORK on them.
I did have a '53 Chevy and a '55 Buick at one time. They were good cars. And the best part about them? You could actually WORK on them.1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502555)
• Italy
25 Sep 16
@moffittjc No I cannot, I have not a private place where to host something like this and I think I would anyway have to ask for a special permission.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
@LadyDuck You should find a local park to host the event in! Come on, Anna, it would be fun!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
You should start one in your country! You would make a lot of money! lol
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22405)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
25 Sep 16
@moffittjc Not had one of those here, although the schools go to the Fire Station, or the Ambulance comes to school for a morning... No helicopters tho.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
@pgntwo The helicopters are always very popular with both the kids and the adults! Another thing that was very popular yesterday was the military vehicles. We have an Army Reserve Transportation Battalion stationed in our city, adjacent to the field where the touch-a-truck event was held. They brought out several of their military vehicles for people to examine close up. Mostly just Humvees and troop transports, but it was still pretty cool to see them up close!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
The event is mainly geared toward children, because they love climbing all over big trucks and construction equipment and what not, but it's interesting to also see how many adults get into it as well!
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39265)
• Gouverneur, New York
25 Sep 16
@moffittjc It sound like a nice event, it sounds like one that would be great for the kids. I have never been to one. The hot air balloon sounds like a people pleaser.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
The balloon ride was one of the more popular attractions at the event! The hot air balloon and the military vehicles.
1 person likes this
@HazySue (39265)
• Gouverneur, New York
25 Sep 16
@moffittjc I'll bet they were for both children and adults.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
Yes, it is a very fun event to attend, especially if you like looking at big trucks and heavy equipment!
1 person likes this
@teenspirit (1596)
• Israel
25 Sep 16
@moffittjc yes...i love it...the feeling that you are so small...:)
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169479)
• United States
25 Sep 16
I have never been to an activity like that but I can see why kids would love it.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
Yes, it is a huge draw for the kids! I remember when my own son was little it was one of the things he most looked forward to every year!
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
Hmmm...I wonder if events like that ever take place up in Canada? Surely, somebody must organize something like that for the kids to enjoy?
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
25 Sep 16
Only in the south. No. People in California want to see planes and vintage or sports cars. I cannot imagine the general public here wanting to see big trucks like this.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
Everybody and their brother offers car shows, so I can't imagine another car show would have such big appeal. But, I agree with your assessment of planes! I'm surprised that more places don't offer events where the public can see and touch airplanes up close. Now that would really appeal to me!
@JudyEv (382216)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Oct 16
I've never heard of this in Australia but it sounds a lot of fun.
@shivamani10 (11035)
• Hyderabad, India
25 Sep 16
This event is not heard of before. very interesting.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
25 Sep 16
That's cool, we have car shows up here, but I haven't heard of "Touch a truck". I'd go!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Sep 16
I'm surprised more places don't have them! Big trucks, heavy equipment, fire trucks, etc are a young boys dream to climb on and touch! Well, and I guess girls can dream about them too!
