In support of the Angel Tree Christmas Campaign, it’s the Fifth Annual Alberta Large Cars Christmas Cruise Dec. 12.
Organizer Jackie Koch says the cruise is essentially a rolling truck show or a toy run, which begins at the Water Tower, over to 43 Street South and onto Exhibition Park. “Where we’ll park in the south parking lot. And the trucks will be there for people to check out, and we will collect toys and gifts for the Angel Tree.”
According to Koch, the event got its start with the creation of a T-shirt. “We had a shirt made up with my husband’s truck on it. We sold them throughout the province with the trucking community we’re a part of. The proceeds, we wanted to donate to charity. I had a friend who directed me over to Lethbridge Family Services to the Angel Tree.”
It was December 2020, and Lethbridge Family Services were a little bit light on toys and gifts that year, Koch explains. “I said, why don’t we do a toy run and get more gifts for the kids? That’s how it was born. And it’s morphed; it’s grown.”
People tend to park down Mayor Magrath Drive, like they do for Street Wheelers Weekend, Koch adds. “And watch the trucks go by. The drivers like to honk their horns and wave at the kids. It’s a lot of fun.”
Drivers of highway trucks or big rigs can register for the event online through Facebook and Instagram.
Koch says some of the drivers try to decorate their rides for the occasion, and the participants are, “really amazing.”
“Some decorate, and some just have lots of lights and are lit up.”
“I think we were around 40 last year. It’s grown every year, so that’s why I like to do the registration too. It’s important for me to know how many we have and make sure we have enough space,” says Koch.
Koch adds the event has outgrown its staging area too. “I’m trying to get in touch with a couple of people for a new staging area because it has become more popular. The drivers have been talking about it, and I get more drivers every year because they’ve heard how much fun it is.”
The cruise runs from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
