I love it when a plan comes together.
Yep, we decided to throw a classic truck show in a parking garage. Was this a good idea? How would this work? How would people respond?
You probably know the Southwest region of the US is a hotbed for some of the baddest, raddest classic trucks, so Sam Castronova and myself (Ronnie Wetch, C10 Talk) decided to host a Spring Truck Show in Chandler, Arizona. But we couldn’t do the same ol’ thing. We wanted a truck show with a twist and a cool vibe!
The “twist” was that we hosted the show in a five-story parking garage. When you start off with a parking garage, things are going to be a little different, and honestly I wasn’t sure if people would dig it or not. Now we know! The response was super positive, and people definitely approved!
The “vibe” was the association to good people and times that embody what the classic truck scene is all about: the ’80-’90s era. If you have read my “Final Word” column in C10 Builder’s Guide before or listened to C10 Talk, you’ve heard me say a few slogans: “The trucks are cool, but the people are cooler,” and “Truck shows are like a class reunion of the friends you want to see and a family reunion of your favorite uncles.”
OK, so we had an idea, we had to get to work and make it happen. Build a show. Not just any show, a destination show. We wanted something to make people want to attend and come back for years to come. We got to work ironing out the details within this creative space for trucks, vendors, food trucks, a DJ stage, and anything else we could think of to promote a retro rad vibe that people would enjoy. I’d like to say it came together easily and quickly—but, honestly, many months of dedication and jumping through the red-tape finally brought us to show day. It was time, and we were pumped!
Kicking things off early Friday morning, Mike Millan (@poisedhipster) put together a golf game for anyone who wanted to hit the greens the day before the show. It looked like a great time! Follow @long.drives.dope.rides, if you’re thinking about that for next year.
Friday evening, April 8, we were able to coordinate with a great local establishment, the QuartHaus, for what we called “Trucks and Taps.” They welcomed us and even allowed us to park 10 trucks in their QuartYard, providing a great backdrop to socialize and tip a few back. Saturday, 7am—Let’s get this party staaaaaarted! The trucks were lined up around the block and we started the “fill-up.” Literally filling up the parking garage with classic trucks. Trucks were given an event-day ticket with a parking space inside. Some trucks were sent to the “Top Deck,” and some over-sized trucks got a “grass pass” to head to the lawn where a great DJ and top-notch vendors were already set up for the day.
If you haven’t seen some of the amazing videos that many attendees have put together showcasing this, please do yourself a favor and check it out, because they are awesome! (Links in our Instagram bio @reuniontruckshow, or YouTube search: The Reunion Truck Show) A gracious thank you to everyone that made a video and/or posted – we see you and appreciate you! And of course checkout the print coverage right here in this very issue!
None of this would have been possible without the people showing up, bringing their trucks, and supporting the show. When you have a vision, it’s one thing. But making it happen and getting the support, especially without a “show” track record, that’s huge. We would like to thank the people that attended. Some near, some far, but without each and every truck, the Reunion isn’t a Reunion.
All in all, we had over 30 vendors and 350 classic trucks, all displaying an extensive variety of trucks and styles for nearly 2,000 spectators throughout the day. Some of the best times we have in our scene are when we gather at truck meetups, cruises, and shows—meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends—making the Reunion a perfect fit for the classic truck show schedule.
The trucks, the people, the vendors. The REUNION! See you out there next year!!
Ronnie Wetch is the host of the popular C10-focused podcast C10 Talk, which you can subscribe to through iTunes and various other podcast outlets.—Ed.