Hello! You’ve come to a piece of Kidding Around® history. This piece is one of our very first Kidding Around® pieces and we’ve kept it in its original format because, well, we are a little sentimental over here. The touch-a-truck events no longer happen at Westside Park. But don’t worry, you can still find tons of fun things to do on our event calendar and our things to do page.
Have you ever been to Greenville’s biggest Touch-a-Truck event at Westside Park? If not, I have three questions for you:
- Do your kids like to sit in the driver’s seat and pretend to drive?
- Are your kids fascinated by big vehicles and construction equipment?
- Do you like free events for kids?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, mark your calendars for next Saturday, September 16, 2017 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Greenville Rec will be hosting its annual Touch-a-Truck event sponsored by Action Concrete Pumping at Westside Park & Aquatic Center. This Touch-a-Truck event is one of my kids’ favorite events of the year (and you already know that we attend a LOT of events.)
How Touch-a-Truck Led to Kidding Around Greenville
Touch-a-Truck for me is closely tied to the beginning of Kidding Around Greenville. I remember several years ago attending Touch-a-Truck at Westside Park. We were having such a wonderful time as a family, and I couldn’t believe that the event was free. I also wondered how many families had no idea that this event for kids was going on and would miss it.
I had been thinking for a while that Greenville needed a local website owned and run by local parents to help other parents find the best events and information for their families. While attending Touch-a-Truck, I knew that I had to see that dream become a reality, and I even snapped extra photos. It’s a long story of how Kidding Around Greenville actually finally got started and then grew to be Greenville’s top family website, but Touch-a-Truck was where the idea first occur.
about Touch-a-Truck at Westside Park
When: September 16, 2017 10 AM – 2 PM
Where: Westside Park and Aquatic Center. You can park at the playground and the event is usually across the street on the pavement.
Cost: free
Event website: http://greenvillerec.com/event/touch-a-truck
What you will find at Touch-a-Truck
This year’s Touch-a-Truck event will include tow trucks, dump trucks, fire trucks and more. (Note: Emergency vehicles may be not available in the case of an emergency.)
A lot more than “touching” is allowed at Greenville’s Touch-a-Truck events, the kids are allowed to not only touch but enter the driver’s seat of vehicles and pretend to drive. While there are typically lines of kids waiting to enter the vehicles, this particular touch-a-truck event has more vehicles than most others. In my experience the lines for most of the vehicles are not long. You may want to arrive early though to get in line for the more unusual vehicles such as the helicopter.
A little mom-to-mom advice
When I’ve attended this event, it’s been hot and loud. The kids blow the horns on the vehicles (and let me assure you that some of the horns are pretty loud.) The area of event is unshaded and bright.
I would advise wearing light weight clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. You may want to dress your kids in easy to spot outfits as the event is crowded and the noise makes it hard for your kids to hear you.
The event is definitely worth attending though, even if it means standing in the sun for a couple of hours.
Plan on keeping young children close since they may try to touch things that are coned off. I learned this lesson one year when my kid tried to pick up a jack-hammer. Fortunately, an attentive worker at the event stepped in and grabbed it first.
Be sure to pack some water and snacks. You could also easily eat a picnic lunch at the event since it’s outdoors and located at a park.
Bethany is a local Greenville mom who enjoys sharing her enthusiasm about Greenville with other local families through her website Kidding Around Greenville. Her content is featured on Visit Greenville, iOnGreenville, and Greenville.fm. You can contact Bethany at Bethany.Winston@gmail.com.
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This looks like so much fun! And…great tips! There is so much going on this weekend…I don’t know what we will choose to do!