The Melfort Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce and Prairie North Co-op took over the Melfort Mall parking lot for the Touch-a-Truck event on Friday, Aug. 11.
MTACC Executive Director Cal Gratton said the event, now in its sixth year, is always popular.
“It was very well attended,” he said. “A lot of people came out to the event and a lot of new trucks were there as well,” he said.
The event is always expanding and adding new vehicles to explore. The biggest example this year came from the Canadian Armed Forces, who parked their MSDS unit at the show all afternoon.
“That would seem to be a crowd favourite with not only the kids, but with the parents as well,” Gratton said.
The event features a chance to see a wide variety of large vehicles, as well as mingle with the people who drive them. More than 750 people attended the show, with many getting their first in-person look at vehicles they’d only previously seen in videos or pictures.
“They have a chance to actually sit perhaps in the driver’s seat of these vehicles. They can have tours of them. They can ask questions of the of the people, the drivers and the operators that are there as well on how these how these big units work and any questions that they might have,” Gratton said.
Other organizations and companies in attendance included the City of Melfort with a grader and city vehicles, Thomas Motors, Armstrong Trucking brought some heavy construction equipment, Brandt Tractor brought equipment and the Melfort Fire Department brought vehicles including the popular Ladder Truck.
“That thing it takes up a lot of room when you look straight up,” Gratton said.
There were also bouncy castle, a climbing wall from Tisdale Day Camps and Ole McDale’s Friendly Farm petting zoo.
The Prairie North Co-op is moving from the Melfort Mall to their new location at StoneGate and the MTACC and Co-op are figuring out their next steps.
“We were talking about that at the event. We’re just trying to figure out where is this event g going to be held next year. I mean, maybe at the Co-op parking lot next year, I’m not sure,” Gratton said.
He added that the location will probably be determined before the seventh edition.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
