WAUPUN — The Waupun Truck-n-Show Committee held their final regular monthly meeting Saturday morning before preparations begin in earnest for their 34th annual show.
The Waupun Truck-n-Show is an annual weekend celebration of the trucking industry held on the second weekend of August. The Truck-n-Show features parades, displays, competitions, live music, and trucks from all around the country.
After last year’s show, there was some concern about whether the committee would be able to continue operating due to gradually falling membership. Many of their long-time members had retired or passed away in recent years, which led to them putting out calls for new volunteers.
Thankfully, the committee was able to maintain their current members and organize enough new volunteers to keep operating for at least another year. Along with the new members, this year’s show will have some changes and new additions.
“We’re looking at another good year,” committee vice president Nancy Kutschenreuter said. “We got some new ideas and the Truck Show got a bit of a facelift. Just another exciting year coming.”
“A lot of drivers built trucks for the show,” Duey VandeZande added.
Much of the regular meetings are devoted to confirming preparations were in place and discussing ways to improve on previous years.
Following the usual business, they heard from Make-a-Wish Wisconsin regional events coordinator Lexi Gruber, who gave a small presentation on the Make-a-Wish children who will be riding in the Truck-n-Show parades.
At last month’s meeting the Committee announced the 2023 beneficiaries, which include Make-a-Wish, REACH Waupun, and the Waupun Area Animal Shelter.
Saturday’s meeting was also attended by Mayor of Waupun Rohn Bishop, who was there to make sure they had everything they needed from the City for the year.
“Waupun, for the size of our city, is fortunate to have and host an event as large as the Waupun Truck-n-Show,” Mayor Bishop said in a statement to WPN. “I remember when I was a kid when it was the Truckers Jamboree and how it went from a one afternoon parade to a two-day event and now our city is full of people for those two days.”
“In a way we’ve become the ‘trucking capital of the world,’” Mayor Bishop said. “It’s pretty cool that an event that big is pulled off in a city this small, and it wouldn’t be possible without this group of volunteers meeting every month.”
The Truck-n-Show Committee will hold two more preparation meetings in the weeks leading up to the show to review progress on preparations.
