Kids can explore at these Touch-a-Truck events in Columbus

Kids love to explore emergency vehicles, construction vehicles, and farm equipment, and there are plenty of touch-a-truck events in Columbus and Central Ohio to fulfill their curiosity!

These events are a wonderful learning experience for kids that are full of photo-ops, so don’t forget your phone or camera. 

While some Touch-a-Truck events are planned for 2022, details are still tba for others. We will add them as they are announced.

April Touch-a-Truck events

Autism Awareness Open House with City of Hilliard Division of Police
Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 9:00 am – 11:00 am. The agency’s 5th Annual Autism Awareness Open House will be held Saturday, April 2, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Safety Services Building, 5171 Northwest Parkway. This event provides participants the opportunity to socialize with First Responders in a calm and reassuring environment.

May Touch-a-Truck events

Powell Touch a Truck: Friday, May 6, 2022 from 11 am – 1 pm. Trucks and vehicles will fill Adventure Park for this fun event

Touch a Truck at Hilliard’s Station Park: Friday, May 13, 2022 from 10 am – 12 pm. This Children’s event features interactive fun with Big Trucks, Cars, Machines, Police and Fire Vehicles.  Touch-A-Truck takes place at Hilliard’s Station Park (corner of Center and Main Streets in Old Hilliard) 

Touch a Truck in Pickerington: Saturday, May 14, 2022 from 10 am – 12 pm at the Pickerington Community Pool. Bring your kids to enjoy a variety of big trucks, cars, engines and more. Touch-A-Truck may have a slightly different setup from prior years, but kids will still love seeing their favorite big vehicles.

Touch a Truck in Canal Winchester: Friday, May 20, 2022 from 6-8 pm during Music in the Park. Bring the Family to Touch-A-Truck at Stradley Park to check out Police & Fire vehicles on display.

Touch-A-Truck will showcase vehicles from Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Township Police Department, and Madison Township Fire Department, with live music by The Usual Suspects & Repeat Offenders.
36 S. High St, Canal Winchester

Upper Arlington Spring Fling: Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 11 am – 2 pm  Kids can explore city vehicles during the Spring Fling at Sunny 95 Park. 

June Touch a Truck events

Marysville Touch a Truck: Saturday, June 3, 2022 from 10 am – 1 pm.  Check out fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, tractors, a wheel loader and more at Mill Valley Park South, 1067 Creekview Dr.

Dog Days of Summer at Pataskala Grace Church: Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 11 am – 2 pm.
Support Pataskala Police Department K9 Program at this annual fundraiser. All of the proceeds from this event will go towards the purchase and training of a new police K9. It is FREE to attend! You’ll enjoy:

• Police K9 demonstrations
• Fire and EMT Vehicles
• Food trucks (Woodfired, M&S Grub Hub, and Whit’s) and Bake Sale
• Vendor tables/booths and Silent Auction
• Activities for kids

The Science of Big Machines at COSI: June 11-19, 2022

Big machines and construction equipment converge in downtown Columbus for COSI’s annual Science of Big Machines. Get behind the wheel and experience equipment that builds roads, bridges, and buildings! Explore the science and technology of construction by trying it out first hand and learning with real engineers.

From small tools to big equipment, you’ll discover how big jobs get done. A multitude of pieces of construction equipment will be on hand to explore.

Touch a Tractor in Canal Winchester: Friday, June 17, 2022 from 6-8 pm during Music in the Park. Bring the Family to Touch-A-Tractor at Stradley Park to see a variety of tractors on display while you listen to live music by Hot Rod Lincolns.
36 S. High St, Canal Winchester

Wet Suits & Way-Cool Trucks: Friday, June 24, 2022 from 10 am – noon at Dublin Community Recreation Parking Lot by amphitheater. Enjoy a variety of activities with Washington Township Fire Department to help make your summer safe! Tour Sparky’s fire safety house, Watch a fire department’s dive team demonstration in the Recreation Center pool (11 am), learn bike safety, and check out the fire and medic truck.

August Touch a Truck events

COSI Farm Days: August 10-14, 2022. Details to be announced.

October Touch a Truck events

Touch a Tractor at Fall Harvest Moon Festival: October 1, 2022 from 12pm – 4pm at Infirmary Mound Park, Granville, OH.
Hands-on events for your young children. Held during the Fall Harvest Moon Festival at Infirmary Mound Park, explore, climb and touch tractors of all shapes and sizes!  This event is free and open to the public.

More events will be added when details are released!

Events tba for 2022

Heroes and Hard Hats Touch a Truck at Polaris Fashion Place: tba from 11 am – 2 pm. Join Polaris Fashion Place for the grand groundbreaking for Fieldhouse USA from 11 AM – 2 PM. Enjoy talking to local heroes and seeing various BIG vehicles!

Touch a Truck at Grove City UMC: tba from 10 am – 12 pm. The in-person event is cancelled, but they hope to upload videos provided by local organizations on the day of the event. 

Touch a Truck at Prairie Township Community Center in Galloway: tba from 12 pm – 2 pm

YMCA Healthy Kids Day: tba from 10 am – 1 pm at Scioto Audubon Metro Park. Police and fire trucks will be on site for kids to check out, along with lots of fun, free family activities like inflatables, obstacle course, climbing walls, kayaking, and so much more! 

Dublin Public Works Day: tba from 10 am – 2 pm This isn’t just a touch a truck event – it’s bigger and better! Highlights include police, fire, military, and public service vehicles, PAWS the Public Works Mascot, food trucks, bounce houses, Nature and recreation services fun, outdoor games, and E-Waste & Shred-It Services. 
(City of Dublin Service Complex, 6555 Shier Rings Rd, Dublin)

Worthington Touch a Truck: tba from 9:30-12 pm (no-horn event for those with sensitive ears).  They will be collecting canned goods to “stuff the truck”. 

COSI EMS & Safety Day: tba Firefighters from the Columbus Division of Fire and other emergency personnel will be there, along with their vehicles.  Watch while the Columbus Fire Department uses the Jaws of Life during a mock crash. Activities are included with COSI admission. 

Annual Delaware County Touch a Truck: tba from 10 am – 2 pm. Sponsored by the MOMS club of Delaware, join Delaware County EMS Medic 8 (6547 Marysville Rd, Ostrander) for the day and see vehicles big and small and meet some of the people who operate them. Admission is Free and the event is open to all ages.

Touch-A-Truck (Service & Construction) with Granville Recreation District at Infirmary Mound Park: tba from 10 am – noon. Hands-on events for your young children. This opportunity will allow them to touch a firetruck, police cruiser and other larger than life vehicles. Touch, climb and explore, talk to the men and women that use them!

Sunny 95’s Touch-A-Truck: tba at Fortress Obetz. Not only will there be awesome trucks, but there will also be different types of emergency vehicles, heavy machinery, and tons of other types of vehicles!

Westerville Touch a Truck: tba from 10 am – noon at Westerville Sports Complex. Hands-on fire trucks, police cruisers, larger-than-life construction equipment and more! Kids will love the up-close experience with a variety of construction equipment and service vehicles.

Cruise the ‘Ville Car Show: tba from 10 am – 5 pm, this car show features a touch-a-truck display that includes the Columbus Police Helicopter fly-in, Columbus Fire Safety House and the Baby Zamboni from the Chiller.

Whitehall’s National Night out: August tba from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. on the lawn of the Whitehall Police Station. Please come and join us for family fun, with a variety of emergency vehicles on display, safety-related vendors, an inflatable bounce house for kids and music!

Touch a Truck in Gahanna: tba from 9am – 1pm. Kids can explore the equipment that makes Gahanna run. Hannah Park, 6547 Clark State Rd

Johnstown Police Department Open House: tba from 11 am – 1 pm.  Meet Chase from Paw Patrol, Tour the, Police Department, Touch-A-Cruiser, Free Hotdogs, Child Fingerprint Identification Cards, Junior Officer Police Badges, and SPECIAL GUEST: Licking County Humane Society

Metro Parks and Pleasant Township Touch a Truck: tba from 6-8 pm at Battelle Darby Creek. Metro Parks and Pleasant Township Fire Department will have construction equipment, tractors, and Fire/EMS/Ranger equipment on display for everyone to check out.

Cops and Kids Day in Westerville: tba from 12 pm – 4 pm. Kids can interact with community police officers, and check out their technology and equipment along with motorcycles, cruisers, and specialty vehicles from agencies through Central Ohio.

Plain Township Fire Dept Open House: tba from 10 am – 3 pm.  You don’t want to miss this exciting event; kids can explore the fire department and vehicles, use a real fire hose, watch a MedFlight helicopter take off (whether depending) and finish up with a HUGE foam party!  There is lots of food with the chili cook-off, and you can have child ID badges made.

Touch a Truck to Fill a Truck: tba for 2022 from 10 am – 2 pm at Byers Chevy. Franklin County Sheriffs will be there to make name badges and give out bicycle helmets. They will also have a distracted driving simulator. There will be a fire truck, tow truck, cement truck, fork lifts, John Deere tractor, garbage truck, dump truck, Grove City Police Cruisers, Police K9 units, skid steer, and more. Food trucks will be there, so plan to grab lunch while you’re there!

Admission is free, but please bring a canned or non-perishable food item to help fill the bed of the truck to donate to the Grove City Food Pantry. Byers Chevy, 5887 N Meadows Dr., Grove City, Ohio 43123

Berlin TWP Fire Dept./ DCEMS Medic 10 Touch A Truck: TBA for 2022 from 9 am – 12 pm at 2708 Lackey Old State Rd. Delaware, OH 43015. Bring the entire family for fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, helicopter and many more. Collecting non-perishable food donations for People In Need Inc.

Polaris Fashion Place Touch a Truck KidX Club: TBA for 2022 from 11 am -1 pm. See your favorite BIG trucks and vehicles. Details tba.

New Albany Touch a Truck: TBA for 2022 from 10 am – 12:30 pm. The event features all of the city vehicles, farm equipment, activities, child identification program, and free lunch. They’ll be accepting canned foods to donate to the New Albany Food Pantry.

Old Hilliardfest: September tba for 2022. This free all-day festival features featuring 3 stages with live music, touch a truck, kids games and inflatables, carnival rides, a sunflower show, a car show, an art fair, and more. Note: activities are still being confirmed for 2021, so check back closer to the date to ensure they will host the touch-a-truck again this year.

Touch a Truck KidX event at Indian Mound Mall: Saturday, September tba for 2022 from 10 am – noon. This family friendly event allows kids the opportunity to safely see touch and explore trucks, cars and machinery. We’ll have emergency vehicles, construction equipment, and more! The Licking County Health Department will be providing bike helmets to children, while supplies last.

Ohio State Marshal Fire Expo: Saturday, September tba for 2022. Antique fire trucks, a fire service flea market, food trucks, canine demos and more. Stay tuned for more info in the coming weeks.

Fire Prevention Week: October tba 2022. Most township and city fire departments will host special events at the fire stations, including touch-a-truck.

Prairie Township Fire Department Food Truck & Fire Prevention Festival: October tba 2022 from noon – 4 pm. at the Fire Department. Food trucks, fire safety plans, touch a truck, tours of the fire house, and much more on the afternoon of Sunday, October 3rd at Station 241, 123 Inah. 

Franklin County Engineer’s Office Touch-and-Ride-a-Truck
October tba 2022 from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hilliard, Ohio. Franklin County Engineer Cornell R. Robertson is thrilled to announce the return of the FCEO Touch-And-Ride-A-Truck, held at a new location at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. This Halloween-themed event is designed to give kids an opportunity to interact and learn about various equipment and vehicles. Our community partners will join us who offer services to the public or have equipment to display. Bring your family and friends out for a fa-boo-lous time!

Annual Cops & Community Trunk-or-Treat: Saturday, October tba 2022 from 1-4 pm. 1955 Frank Rd, Columbus. Meet various Central Ohio law enforcement and first responders. Free raffles for bike helmets, gift cards, and gift baskets. Emergency vehicles will be decorated and candy will be passed out. Hot dogs, soda, water, chips and candy provided.

Trunk or Treat in Whitehall: Thursday, October tba 2022 from 5:00-8:00 pm at Whitehall City Hall parking lot. Ghouls and goblins are invited to enjoy Trunk or Treat, a free family-friendly alternative to Trick or Treat, complete with candy, pumpkins, Touch-a-Truck, community resource information and on-site COVID-19 vaccines.

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