The city of Snoqualmie held its inaugural Big Truck Day on June 27 at Centennial Fields Park.

Nicole Wiebe, the city’s events coordinator, inspired and led this year’s event. Other cities — including Redmond and Seattle — host a Big Truck Day for its communities.

Big Truck Day showcased vehicles that are tough and tactical, fun and flashy, and represent the community’s heroes and helpers. The free event was geared toward children as old as 10. Big Truck Day gives kids the opportunity to explore a variety of vehicles — public service, emergency, utility, and transportation — all in one place.

“It’s a great community builder,” Wiebe said. “Our city has a large population under the age of 18, and this event is great to activate that community.”

Wiebe said she participated in a previous Big Truck Day in Redmond.

“Little kids just love to be able to see and sit on and touch all the big trucks that they see all the time… They love to sit in and pretend to drive the trucks,” she said. “It’s a great way for them to experience our local heroes and the vehicles they use in a safe and fun way.”

For the event, Wiebe reached out to the city’s police and fire departments, Waste Management, King County Metro the Snoqualmie Valley School District and King County Library System to have a vehicle present.

“We had a very positive response,” she said. “Everyone was happy to come and showcase their vehicle.”

Wiebe also reached out to DirtFish Rally School and Encompass NW to partner for the event. DirtFish Rally School had one of its cars present for the event. Encompass NW brought its mobile therapy unit.

Hold the Horn was in place or the first 30 minutes of the event where no lights, sirens, horns were activated in order to accommodate the needs of children with sensory processing disorder.

Kavita Sleight, an Encompass NW pediatric occupational therapist, said she was happy the city reached out to them.

“The first 30 minutes we didn’t have any lights or sirens,” she said. “We’re happy to be here. We’ve already had 147 parents stop by and have their kids play with our sensory toys.”

Colleen Lenahan, Encompass NW’s marketing and communications manager, said she enjoyed the event.

“This is a great event,” she said. “The kids are loving the variety of trucks and they’re having so much fun.”

Wiebe said she hopes to make Big Truck Day an annual event for Snoqualmie.

“These events are always so much fun, and it allows the city to showcase its heroes and helpers,” she said. “It’s also just a great way to get the community together.”

Madison Miller / staff photo School buses, garbage trucks, police cars, fire trucks and more were at this year’s Big Truck Day.

6-year-old Finley Gendron (left) and her little brother, Boston Gendron, explore the city’s fire truck during Big Truck Day. Madison Miller / staff photo