Our calendar of Twin Cities Touch-A-Truck events and Public Works Open Houses will help you find events featuring a wide variety of different trucks and emergency vehicles!
Got kids who are just crazy about getting up close to big rigs? Good news! Your Modern Family recently shared their research on why this obsession makes kids smarter! While kids see a touch-a-truck as pure fun and parents may only notice the mud and loud engines, it can be a learning experience, too. Kids are engaging in sensory exploration, getting a little bit of STEM education, developing motor skills, and practicing social interactions.
What to Expect at a Touch-A-Truck Event
The amount of access and type of vehicle offered can vary from event to event, but children of all ages can expect the chance to climb into big vehicles like tow trucks, snowplows, tractors, excavators, utility vehicles, skid loaders, ambulances, police cars, rescue vehicles and more.
Participants can often sit behind the wheel of a fire truck and learn about the equipment from real firefighters at these family-friendly events. Guests sometimes even have permission to honk the truck’s horn or listen to the sirens.
Most Touch-A-Truck events are outdoors, so dress for the weather, pack the sunscreen and water bottles and consider bringing a stroller for toddlers who may tire before their bigger sibs. Build excitement ahead of time by reading some of your favorite big truck books together as the date approaches.
Best Months for Touch-A-Truck Events
While there are free touch-a-truck event opportunities throughout the year, the best times to find opportunities are in May, during National Public Works Week and National Police Week, and in October, during Fire Prevention Month. Because it is easier to offer these events outdoors, April through October naturally have more opportunities than winter months.
Upcoming Twin Cities Touch-A-Truck Events
Usually a vehicle fair is a free event, but we do sometimes share fun splurge big-truck events where there is an admission charge for attendance and a ticket holder gets a special experience. In those cases, we will list the price for individual tickets and any family deals.
Inver Grove Heights Touch-a-Truck
Date(s): 05/16/2026 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Location: Veterans Memorial Community Center, 8055 Barbara Ave, Inver Grove Heights, MN , 55077
Got kids who love trucks? This is the event for them! Jump into the cabs of these big rigs for free, no need to register. Face painting, other activities and an ice cream truck onsite as well. Free parking is available at the VMCC and remember, this event is all outdoors.
SENSORY-FRIENDLY Between 9-9:30 the event will not feature horns, lights or sirens.
Arden Hills Touch-A-Truck (FREE)
Date(s): 05/16/2026 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Perry Park, 3700 New Brighton Road, Arden Hills, MN, 55112
Celebrate National Public Works Week in Arden Hills by getting a close-up look at some of your favorite vehicles, including a fire engine, squad car, boat, snowplow, and more that work hard in the community.
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Coon Rapids Public Works Open House (FREE)
Date(s): 05/16/2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Coon Rapids Public Works, 1831 111th Avenue Northwest, Coon Rapids, MN, 55433
Take a tour of the Public Works facility and check out giant snowplows, tractors and other fascinating big rigs. Kids can learn about the city’s Recycling Center and other community services.
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Burnsville Police Open House
Date(s): 05/16/2026 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: North River Hills Park, 11501 19th Avenue, Burnsville, MN, 55337
Join the Burnsville Police for a kid-friendly afternoon full of family fun at North River Hills Park. Meet your local police officers, SWAT Team, Crime Scene Team and K-9 Unit. Family fun will include an obstacle course, fingerprinting activities, a drone demo, a chance to try on SWAT gear and climb inside police vehicles.
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Somethin' 'Bout a Truck (FREE)
Date(s): 05/19/2026 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Prior Lake Maintenance Center, 17073 Adelmann St SE, Prior Lake, MN, 55372
Prior Lake celebrates National Public Works Week with a family-friendly open house. Explore maintenance vehicles, even climb in the equipment and learn about a day in the life at Public Works.
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Burnsville Public Works Open House
Date(s): 05/21/2026 3:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Burnsville Maintenance, 13713 Frontier Court, Bursville, MN, 55337
Kids can play in a sandbox full of toy trucks, climb into the real city trucks and equipment and meet real Public Works employees. Free popcorn and prizes. Food trucks will be onsite during the event.Â
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Eagan Big Rig Rally
Date(s): 05/21/2026 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Central Maintenance Facility, 3501 Coachman Point, Eagan, MN, 55122
Get a close-up, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the City of Eagan’s big rigs including fire trucks, police cars, mowers, plow trucks and garbage trucks. Plus face painting, photo ops, refreshments and fun giveaways. Cost is free.
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Wyoming Touch-a-Truck (FREE)
Date(s): 06/06/2026 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Goodview Park, 26000 Goodview Avenue, Wyoming, MN, 55092
Trucks of all shapes and sizes will be parked at Goodview Park for a morning of family fun and vehicle exploration.
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Little Canada Touch-A-Truck (FREE)
Date(s): 06/13/2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Little Canada Elementary School, 400 Eli Road, Little Canada, MN, 55117
Here are the exciting vehicles that’ll be on display at the Little Canada Touch-a-Truck event: dump trucks, tractors, fire trucks, police squad cars, a SWAT vehicle, logging equipment, and more.
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St. Louis Park Fire Department Open House (FREE)
Date(s): 06/16/2026 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: St. Louis Park’s Fire Station #1, 3750 Wooddale Ave S, St Louis Park, MN, 55416
St. Louis Park Fire Department’s annual Open House is free and open to all ages. Stop by to meet some firefighters, enjoy snacks and participate in fun activities (see link for complete listing of events).
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New Brighton Safety Fair (FREE)
Date(s): 06/16/2026 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: New Brighton Community Center, 400 10th Street Northwest, New Brighton, MN, 55112
New Brighton is hosting their very first Safety Fair! Free and family-friendly, just your community members for live safety demos, meet with safety pros, explore emergency and public works vehicles at a touch-a-truck experience, grab giveaways, and score some free hot dogs.
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Ham Lake Freedom Festival
Date(s): 06/27/2026 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Location: Ham Lake Lions Park, 1220 157th Avenue Northeast, Ham Lake, MN, 55304
At the Ham Lake Freedom Festival families can participate in kids’ activities, grab a free pulled pork sandwich, listen to live bands, explore a police and fire truck display, and watch fireworks at 10pm.Â
North St Paul Big Truck Night (FREE)
Date(s): 07/10/2026 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: 7th Avenue, 7th Avenue, North St Paul, MN, 55109
Kids (or any big vehicle enthusiast, really) can view fire trucks, police cars, snowplows, and more equipment at the North St Paul Touch-a-Truck event, part of the History Cruzers Car Show. Special appearances from the North St Paul Police & Fire Departments.
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Fridley Touch-A-Truck (FREE)
Date(s): 08/18/2026 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Fridley Civic Campus, 7071 University Avenue NE, Fridley, MN, 55432
Big truck enthusiasts unite for a night of vehicles on display: trucks and diggers, a fire engine, police cars and patrol vehicles, a tow truck, school bus, lawn vehicles and more. Kids, grab yourselves a free popsicle, make some crafts, play lawn games and bounce in the inflatables. Pack a picnic from home or purchase dinner from one of the food trucks. All that FREE entertainment plus a concert starting at 7pm.
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Roseville Touch-a-Truck (FREE)
Date(s): 08/19/2026 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Central Park – Dale St. Athletic Fields, 2525 Dale Street North, Roseville, MN, 55113
At Roseville’s touch-a-truck event your kids can explore trucks, cars and vehicles of all sizes. The first half hour will be sensory friendly without horns, lights or buzzers.
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Mounds View Festival in the ParkÂ
Date(s): 08/21/2026 - 08/22/2026 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Location: Silver View Park, 7542 Silver Lake Road, Mounds View, MN, 55112
Mounds View’s summer Festival In the Park includes a Friday evening parade and splash pad party at City Hall Park. Saturday, the fun moves to Silver View Park with kids activities, live entertainment, a car show and touch-a-truck, and fireworks to cap it off.Â
Touch-A-Tractor Weekend at the Orchard
Date(s): 09/12/2026 - 09/13/2026 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Location: Afton Apple Orchard, 14421 90th Street South, Hastings, MN, 55033
Besides the usual fall activities, visitors during the Touch-a-Tractor weekends can get close up to farm equipment and machinery! September 12-13 & 19-20, 2026, 10am-6pm.
Crystal Vehicle Fair (FREE)
Date(s): 09/19/2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Crystal Community Center & Crystal Cove Aquatic Center, 4800 Douglas Drive N, Crystal, MN , 55429
Families are invited to see and explore a wide variety of tractors, trucks and cars on display during the annual Crystal Vehicle Fair. Bring your camera and a non-perishable food donation.
Apple Valley Fire Prevention Week Fun
Date(s): 10/04/2026 - 10/10/2026 SEE TIMES
Location: Apple Valley Municipal Center, 7100 147th Street West, Apple Valley, MN, 55124
Look for fun open house events hosted by the Apple Valley Fire Department during Fire Prevention Week. Events will be family-friendly with hands-on activities, demos, and a chance to check out the gear and fire trucks and meet the firefighters of Apple Valley.
Burnsville Fire Open House (FREE)
Date(s): 10/08/2026 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Location: Fire Station No. 1, 14275 Newton Avenue South, Burnsville, MN, 55306
Burnsville Fire Department invites the community to visit Fire Station No. 1 for a family-friendly evening of learning, hands-on activities and fun for everyone. See the link for our full schedule of fire prevention events.
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Columbia Heights Fire Department Open House
Date(s): 10/10/2026 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Columbia Heights Fire Deparatment, 825 41st Avenue NE, Columbia Heights, MN, 55421
Any-Time Touch a Truck Opportunities
The “Fire Truck Museum”
If you have never visited the Firefighters Hall and Museum in Minneapolis, this is a great place to climb on Fire Trucks. Open 2nd & 4th Saturdays of Every Month, 9am-4pm.
The Children’s Museum
Minnesota Children’s Museum in Saint Paul offers opportunities to climb on, “drive” and even wash cool vehicles any time you visit.
Share Your Favorites
If you know of an event where kids can get up close to vehicles of all shapes and sizes, let us know in the comments or send us an email and we’ll add it.
We have several specialized police and fire vehicles we would like to share for touch-a-truck events. Is there a list of 2025 events in the Twin Cities available?
Hi Steve. We will keep adding as events get announced. However, we’re posting for parents looking for touch a truck events. If you want to get involved, I would suggest looking at the TBA list at the bottom of this article and contact the organizers ahead.
Hello- I am the School Leader at Step By Step in Edina and I was hoping to host a “Touch a Truck Event in August. Is there any information I can get to put me in the right direction? This will be a community event but also open to our current families and children who would absolutely LOVE this event!
Yes, Stacey. We can definitely share your event once you have the details. You can submit your event here, and I’ll make sure to get it both in this Touch-A-Truck article and in our Family Fun Calendar..
My son likes anything that has a steering wheel. Can’t wait!
That’s awesome, Henry. Let us know how he likes the touch a trucks!
Hello,
I wanted to let you know about another “Touch-a-Truck” event coming up in September. Shakopee Community Education will be hosting our annual Vehicle Fair! We will have music, activities, a free hot dog dinner for the first 500 attendees, and Kona Ice & Drooling Moose items available for purchase. Vehicles confirmed so far include the Life Link III helicopter, police, fire, and ambulance vehicles, city construction and utility vehicles, and many more!
Logistics:
Monday, Sep 26, 5-6:30pm
Shakopee High School – 100 17th Ave W, Shakopee, MN 55379
Please add to your list if you can. Thanks!
Emily Starke
Thanks for this information, Emily. We’ve added the event.