Semi-trucks, motorcycles, fire trucks, tractors, police cars, graders, vacuum trucks, muscle cars, concrete trucks, man lifts and other everyday vehicles will be at the Living Faith Fellowship Church June 17.

The church is hosting these vehicles as part of its annual Kids and Rigs event, a child-friendly showcase of work vehicles from a variety of local agencies, companies and more. Kids and Rigs will be from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. in the church’s parking lot at 1035 S. Grand Ave. in Pullman.

Many people are unaware of who drives their local fire trucks or tow trucks, event coordinator Amir Owens said. Kids and Rigs is a chance to highlight people who keep the Palouse safe and operational.

“Kids and Rigs is just an opportunity for kids and kids at heart to come and see the things we always see passing us by, either on a highway or out in a field, and to get up close to it and engage with it,” event coordinator Dan Fitzgerald said.

There will be hot dogs, cotton candy and other free food at the event, Fitzgerald said.

Kids and Rigs will feature a couple of raffles and music playing throughout the event, Owens said. Event information tents will also hand out water to help attendees cool off.

Owens said Kids and Rigs is like a parody of a big city car show.

“I always describe it to people as a honky-tonk car show,” he said.

The vehicle owners enjoy interacting with event-goers and discussing their work, Fitzgerald said. They are incredibly generous, and most stick around to tell children how their vehicle operates.

The owners’ willingness to let the church borrow their vehicles showcases Pullman pride, Owens said. Kids and Rigs occurs on a day most companies are not working, but companies that are working still send over their vehicles when those vehicles could be out making money.

Owners usually drive the vehicles over to the church on a Friday night after work, Owens said. They do that service off of their work clock and on their own time.

Many vehicles at the event are driven by local companies who support Pullman in some way, Owens said, including Motley-Motley, a local construction company, and Mader Farms, a local farm.

“[Kids and Rigs] is just one of those things that exists simply to be a blessing to this community,” Fitzgerald said.

Cheryl Mitchell, retired church staff member, started the event about seven years ago, Fitzgerald said.

Pullman Christian School, an entity that is part of the church, used to host an event called Touch-a-Truck, Owens said. However, when the pandemic hit, such gatherings were canceled. The church eventually rebranded Touch-a-Truck to Kids and Rigs, he said.

The Kids and Rigs event is an opportunity for the Living Faith Fellowship to engage outside of a religious context, Owens said. A building can sometimes be a barrier between the church community and the outside community; Kids and Rigs allows the Living Faith Fellowship to step outside and invite people into their parking lot for an exciting occasion.

The event has grown in the last two years and is expected to grow as more people hear about it, Owens said.

Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson has also attended every year, Fitzgerald said.

“It has been a lot of fun the last couple years and we’re hoping to match it this year,” Owens said.