AS SEEN IN OUR F-Series Builders Guide Fall 2026 ISSUE – Buy Now!

Beach Party in Arizona

The 3rd annual Southwest Ford Nationals just wrapped up, and I can say wholeheartedly that it was the best year yet. Watching this event go from just an idea into something real has been truly amazing, and I couldn’t be more proud of my dad, Robert, and his partner, Jason Noel, at Fat Fender Garage, for the amount of work they’ve poured into making it happen.

Truck shows have started gaining popularity again, but there has been a clear need for a dedicated Ford truck event on the West Coast for quite some time. That’s part of what makes this show so special. There are only a handful of Ford-only truck events across the entire country—two in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, one in Texas, one in Anaheim, California, and now one right here in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Seeing one take root and continue to grow here in the Southwest has been really exciting to watch.

I’ve been involved with this show since day one. Part of that comes from being born into the Ford community, but it’s also about supporting my dad and this idea he has worked so hard to turn into something real. Early on, I helped him scout potential venues in Havasu, driving back and forth looking for the right location. From there I started helping with registration, photography, and whatever else needed to be done. Because of that, I’ve had the chance to see every stage of this show come together.

The location alone makes the event stand out. It takes place at Lake Havasu Riviera Marina, and yes, this truck show is actually on the beach—in Arizona. The view across the water is phenomenal, and the venue perfectly suits the wide variety of trucks that attend. The lifted 4x4s look right at home up on the dirt peaks overlooking the lake, while the lowered Fords sit perfectly on the smooth pavement below.

Because the show is hosted at a marina, the vibe is something you don’t get at a typical truck event. Boats are coming and going all day as people launch into the water, kids are jumping in and playing along the shoreline, and families are relaxing under canopies enjoying the sand. It’s the kind of setting that makes the whole event feel less like a traditional truck show and more like a weekend gathering with friends and family, with an incredible view of classic Ford trucks.

This year’s show brought in over 200 Ford trucks, ranging from classic builds to modern restomod trucks, including my own 1994 Ford Lightning and several of my dad’s trucks. There was a live band playing throughout the day, the smell of BBQ and burgers filling the air, and plenty of seating for people to relax and take everything in. The energy was great, and the people were exactly what you hope for at a family event, welcoming, relaxed, and all centered around the Ford truck community.

I might be biased here, but one of the highlights of the show for me was seeing my dad’s newest truck finally finished. His Ghetto Hauler made its public debut at the event. Maybe the real motivation was that he didn’t have another tow rig available, but either way, after years of work, the truck was finally done.

When I drove out from Phoenix to pick up my Lightning, I found him still in the garage working on wiring. He pushed right up until the moment we left the house just to get the truck drivable. Despite the last-minute rush, the truck made the trip to Havasu and back without too many issues, all while towing his 1953 F-100 and a 1974 crew cab, plus a matching golf cart.

Watching everything roll into the show together was truly something special. I’ve seen firsthand how much work he has put into this hobby over the years, and it’s honestly inspiring. Sometimes I’m not sure if I should be upset with him for getting me into such an expensive hobby or thankful that he introduced me to it early on and showed me what it means to take care of these trucks and be on the right side of automotive culture.

One of the coolest parts of this year’s event was seeing just how far people were willing to travel to be there. Trucks rolled in from Minnesota, Wyoming, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, and California. Seeing people make that kind of trip just to be part of the event really shows how much the Ford truck community supports something like this.

 Looking ahead, we already have plenty of ideas to improve the show and make things run even smoother next year. Every event teaches us something new, and each year we get better at putting it together. I’m proud to be a part of helping this show grow and even more excited to continue documenting it through photos and writing for this magazine.