TECUMSEH — The Great Lakes Truck Show Parade of Lights and Party on the Patio will be back Sept. 9.
Sponsored by Bogie’s Express Inc., the truck show begins at 9 a.m. at the former Tecumseh Products site. The parade, estimated to have about 100 trucks, will leave the site on Maumee Street at dusk (8:30 p.m.), go to Russell Road, turn on Rogers Highway and go to M-50, then through downtown turning on South Occidental and then return to Russell Road and Rogers Highway and go out of town.
The parade will include semitrucks, some with and some without trailers. This is the 17th year for the Great Lakes Truck Show Parade of Lights. In years past, it has been held at Cabela’s in Dundee, the Monroe County Fairgrounds and the parking lot of Family Farm and Home in Tecumseh.
The event is organized and sponsored by Bogie’s Express owner Bo Trout, who is a past president of the National Association of Show Trucks (NAST) and has organized truck shows throughout Michigan, Texas and Florida among other states. Trout said NAST’s goal is to change the public’s view of the trucking industry and its drivers.
“All groups will love it. Truck drivers are the most friendly people you will meet,” Trout said. “Kids and families love the event.”
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Trout said the former Tecumseh Products site was offered to him this year. Trucks will start arriving Friday afternoon and the event will end Saturday after the parade.
The event is free for the public. The driver registration cost is $50 per truck. All proceeds from the show will go to a scholarship fund at the Ardan Academy of Irish Dance in the name of Trout’s late wife, Eileen Trout.
The Irish dancers will be putting on a show downtown during the event, which coincides with the Party on the Patio sponsored by Stimpson & Associates. Part of South Evans Street and part of the southwest parking lot will be closed for the event to open the city’s social district.
The Party on the Patio will begin at 4 p.m. behind the Stimpson & Associates building at 108 W. Chicago Blvd. It will include live music from Bille Lewis and the Soulbacks with special guest Two Bricks Short as well as Bret Maynard from 5 to 10:30 p.m.
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The food trucks that will be at the event are Mrs. C’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Truck D and Flavor Flav, Sunset Ridge BBQ, Funky Dawgs, Hannah’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice, and Cilantro. There also will be tailgating games like cornhole, Connect Four and yard pong.
First responders and military veterans will receive one complementary drink ticket. There will also be a triathlon fundraiser that morning at the Tecumseh Paddling Co. at 703 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh.
The Party on the Patio is a semiannual event for the general public. The first event this year was June 9.
The event brings in about 1,000 people to downtown Tecumseh, mostly from the Lenawee County area. Stimpson & Associates partners with local businesses to offer different food and drink options and to support local business.
“We’re very excited that there will be other great events happening downtown during this event,” David Stimpson, Lenawee County commissioner and Stimpson & Associates managing partner, said. “It will allow us to support the other efforts and cross-promote the businesses and their efforts. We always look for opportunities to collaborate and support local, so this is great news.”
Stimpson started the Party on the Patio in 2021 to thank first responders for their work during the pandemic.
“We have received great feedback after each event. Our guests have a great time mingling, trying new food, playing games and enjoying drinks,” Stimpson said. “The community atmosphere in downtown Tecumseh is truly inspiring.”
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