The city of Alexandria, Virginia, recently hosted its ninth annual Tons of Trucks event, a free family-friendly celebration that drew hundreds of residents eager to explore the city’s biggest, loudest, and most essential vehicles.

A Living Showcase of Municipal Service 

Fire trucks, police cruisers, refuse collection trucks, snow plows, buses, and bucket trucks lined the field for a sensory-friendly hour, an initiative designed to give visitors a quieter, calmer experience before the full bustle of the day began.

“This is one of our favorite events of the year because it connects the community directly with the people and tools that keep Alexandria running,” said a city staff member overseeing the lineup. “Kids get excited to climb behind the wheel, and adults get a chance to meet the staff who build, maintain, and protect our city.”

Firefighters were on hand to explain how ladders extend skyward, while police officers showed children the radios and lights inside their cruisers. For many families, the sensory-friendly hour provided a rare chance to engage without the overwhelm of sirens and horns.

The event also included music and food trucks serving families gathered on the lawn. City departments invited children to honk horns, test light switches, and climb up into cabs for photos. The city’s Mobile Art Lab invited participants to decorate cardboard cutouts of vehicles, while others played Tons of Trucks Bingo, checking off sightings for a chance to win small prizes.

Bringing the Community Together for Fleet Education

“It’s not every day your kid gets to sit in the driver’s seat of a snowplow,” said one father, snapping a picture as his daughter gripped the oversized steering wheel with both hands. “She’ll be talking about this for weeks.”

For city staff, the event was more than just an exhibition; it was an opportunity to showcase the people behind the machinery. Transit workers stood beside DASH buses to answer questions, sanitation crews explained recycling routes, and firefighters demonstrated safety gear.

“It’s about building trust,” one public works employee noted. “These trucks are tools, but the real story is the people who use them every day to serve Alexandria.”

For Alexandria, Tons of Trucks was more than a showcase of vehicles; it was a celebration of community connection, service, and the everyday heroes who keep the city moving. As one young attendee declared while climbing down from a fire engine, “When I grow up, I’m going to drive one of these.”