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Big Rig Weekends
I have often been asked if Pro-Trucker will host another Big Rig Weekend Show. When we started Big Rig Weekends, there were no truck shows of significant size in Western Canada. Today there is an abundance of shows. Many are one-day events that service regional districts. Some specialty shows like the ATHS Duncan Truck Show on Vancouver Island showcase, among other things, a collection of logging trucks you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Along with many from the early 1900’s you can see massive Hayes, Pacific, and Kenworth off-road logging trucks that were built specifically to haul those giant Island trees down their infamous steep mountain roads.
These regional shows allow drivers to show off their iron without missing too much work, and the driver does not have the added fuel costs and living out expenses often incurred when travelling to a distant show. After all, there are only so many shows a driver can afford to go to each year. It takes a lot of work to get a truck show worthy, although, to be honest, I love to see that driver who comes in straight off the road, exhausted, hits the truck wash, (or not) parks his or her truck, pulls out a lawn chair, and kicks back with their friends.
That being said, there is nothing as exciting as travelling to a big show like the Lesco Distributors Pro Show n’ Shine, which is now the largest show in Western Canada.
The trucking industry has generously given back to their communities through golf tournaments, Christmas light parades, Toy Runs, Food Bank Deliveries and Show n’ Shines. The Lesco Pro Show n’ Shine donates the general admission to the Leduc Kinsman Club. The Southern Alberta Annual Truck Expo and Show n’ Shine’s admission to the grounds is a non-perishable food item, a cash donation for the Lethbridge Food Bank, or a donation to their back-to-school program. Pro-Trucker supported Cops for Cancer, Military Minds and Food Banks. But the show that raised the most money was ZZChrome’s, Chrome for Kids truck shows. They raised hundreds of thousands for the Vancouver Children’s Hospital. Currently, Johnny and Suzy of ZZChrome have taken a sabbatical and downsized to a show at their shop. I understand completely. There is a tremendous amount of work involved in putting on a show. I know the many volunteers we had were the only reason we were able to continue as long as we did.
My favourite time of any show is always the Best Lights competition. Funny as it may seem, I always welcome a light rain as it makes the trucks sparkle even more.
So while Covid 19 was the reason we cancelled after 17 years of Big Rig Weekends, it has given us the opportunity to stand back and see that there are now a lot of very successful shows. So the simple answer is no, I don’t see us hosting another Big Rig Weekend. That being said, it has been suggested that we hold a Big Rig Weekend reunion where we take a central place like Kamloops, BC and invite everyone who has previously come to our shows to come out for a simple weekend. No trophies, no trade booths, no competition, just old friends. After all, that is what shows are all about—getting together with old friends, telling lies and being around like-minded people. Let me know what you think. If there is enough interest, it could happen.
