Large, industrial and medical vehicles will be seen in the Capital Mall parking lot Saturday as Mighty Machines returns for another year.
Phil Stiles, program manager for special events in the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, said the annual event provides a free opportunity for children in the area to see and explore the large machinery that may have captured their fascination.
The free event Saturday, which goes from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., will include a dump truck and cement truck, as well as an ambulance, fire truck, police car and SWAT vehicle. But, Stiles said, it also will include a medical helicopter, a miniature submarine and even the department's own ice resurfacing machine used at the local ice arena. Some vehicles from the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Highway Patrol will also be on site, he said.
In addition to the many large and specialty vehicles, all of which were volunteered by the organizations and companies that own them, Stiles said Sno Biz will be on site selling snow cones and a concession trailer will sell hamburgers and hot dogs, with proceeds going to offset travel costs for those who participate in Special Olympics Missouri. The Missouri River Regional Library will also have their bookmobile at the event Saturday, and Stiles said a miniature toy train will be set up, allowing children to take rides at $2 each.
"We hold it on a Saturday morning so people can come out maybe after their soccer games or just take a leisurely drive out there and spend some time getting up close and personal to the big machines," Stiles noted.
Stiles said anyone with another example of large machinery is welcome to join; simply contact Stiles at 573-634-6487 or show up to the Capital Mall parking lot, near the old Sears wing, and be all set up by 9:30 a.m.