Several families came out Saturday afternoon to enjoy Parkersburg’s inaugural Big Truck Day at Southwood Park. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
PARKERSBURG — The City of Parkersburg held its inaugural Big Truck Day at Southwood Park this weekend.
Several city vehicles made an appearance including a sanitation truck, excavators, dump trucks, a backhoe, a newer fire engine and an antique fire truck, the newly wrapped D.A.R.E. police cruiser, a road grader and the city’s new vactor truck for cleaning out storm sewer lines.
“It’s been a great opportunity for the kids to come out and live their fantasy,” police Lt. W.J. Cox said. “They love playing with the equipment, and it’s great when you get to see the wonder in their eyes and the smiles on their faces. It makes you feel like a kid again.”
The hardest question the kids attending the event had to answer was which big truck was their favorite. But for Parker Calamia, there was no question.
“The excavator,” he said.
Several families came out Saturday afternoon to enjoy Parkersburg’s inaugural Big Truck Day at Southwood Park. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
“The best thing about today is that he gets to explore the big trucks that he usually doesn’t get to,” said Parker’s mom, Traci Calamia.
The fun didn’t stop with the big trucks. Activities included kids’ crafts and coloring areas. BIG FUN Circus was also there with face-painting and balloon animals. Thomas Family Entertainment provided free sno cones and cotton candy.
A few of the city workers who man the big trucks joked that some of the kids were hesitant to get in the trucks, but once they did, they didn’t want to leave. Some workers even showed the children how to honk the horns, causing the park to erupt into a frenzy of honking.
“Seeing the kids smile is the best part; they just naturally love the big trucks” Development Director Ryan Barber said. “But the main premise is to bring the community together to show how much we appreciate our dedicated team of street and electric workers, as well as the police and fire departments. We truly appreciate their involvement with their equipment and their work on such a wide range of public infrastructure.”
Gretchen Dowler can be reached at gdowler@newsandsentinel.com.
Several families came out Saturday afternoon to enjoy Parkersburg’s inaugural Big Truck Day at Southwood Park. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Parkersburg Fire Chief Jason Matthews displays fire equipment used and stored within the city’s fire engines during Saturday afternoon’s Big Truck Day. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Several families came out Saturday afternoon to enjoy Parkersburg’s inaugural Big Truck Day at Southwood Park. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
BIG FUN Circus provided balloon animals and face-painting while Thomas Family Entertainment supplied free sno cones and cotton candy during the City of Parkersburg’s inaugural Big Truck Day at Southwood Park Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
BIG FUN Circus provided balloon animals and face-painting while Thomas Family Entertainment supplied free sno cones and cotton candy during the City of Parkersburg’s inaugural Big Truck Day at Southwood Park Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Vehicles that made an appearance at the inaugural Big Truck Day included the newly wrapped Parkersburg Police Department D.A.R.E. cruiser as well as a modern day and antique fire engine. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Southwood Park was packed with attendees and many City of Parkersburg trucks and vehicles for the inaugural Big Truck Day. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
