I was invited along to Truckfest Lincoln by some friends and I am not one to turn down a show.
I had only ever been to smaller truck shows and had heard great things about Truckfest shows so I was excited.
This was a new location for the show, as it had previously been held a Peterbrough, but with Live Promotions, the organisers, having 50 years experience organising events what could go wrong.
Friday was when things kicked off with the arrival of the most important part of the show started to arrive, the drivers and trucks. In true British style the weather was not on side and it soon became clear it was going to cause problems as it's never a great combination having vehicles on grassed areas let alone HGVs. Unfortunately a somewhat chaotic and un-flexible approach to getting trucks off the roads and in to position on the show fields is what unfolded. This rightly so left many drivers feeling frustrated and angry at the poor communication and organisation. Although some trucks had managed to get in to the ground on Sunday, a large number were still stuck on the surrounding roads and in holding fields.
By Saturday the weather had done a u-turn and the showground was greeted by blue skies and warm weather. More trucks were set up on the showground, the ground was starting to dry out and drivers were able to try to do what cleaning and prep they could ready for the arrival of visitors at 2pm.
By 2pm the weather may have improved but the communication and organisation from the organisers was equally as bad as the previous day meaning not only were some trucks still struggling to gain access but the public were too. Social media was flooded with disgruntled people seeking answers but seemingly being ignored in favour of show promotion.
After seeing the chaos on the Friday and Saturday I was undecided whether to still go, however I wanted to catch up with friends and check out the show. I assumed the organisers would have learnt from the previous days and ironed out the teething problems. Unfortunately that was not the case, having left home at 7am in Telford and I finally got into the show at 1pm. Bad signposting and lack of communication had again caused gridlock on surrounding roads. It was only when we spotted a comment on a Truckfest post from a member of the public saying they had gained entry at another gate, that we turned round and entered a different way.
So I know so far it doesn't sound great, but once inside the showground things did improve. The ground was only boggy in parts and this didn't affect being able to get around at all. The big bonus was that they had fixed toilet blocks and plenty of them so no waiting for a portaloo after being stuck in the car for hours.
The showground was massive and no matter how hard I tried I think I missed out a fair chunk and didn't see any of the live entertainment or special guests.
The entertainment included The TVs Gladiators, Monster trucks, BMX displays, truck pulling and live music. There were also a large array of trade stands with something for the whole family, including everything for your trucking needs, leather goods, model trucks and baked goods. There was also fairground rides and attractions if you wanted some time away from checking out the trucks.
There were lots of TikTokers including Trucker Tim, Dave the Angry Trucker and Trucker Baddie, all who were more than happy to stop for a chat and pose for a photo.
Although I didn't have time to stop for food there was plenty of choice for something to eat with food trucks spread throughout the show ground. However if picnics are more your thing there was lots of space to sit and enjoy your own food too.
The trucks I did see did not disappoint and each and every one looked great. There were a lot of fleets in attendance including Sid Hill Transport, BM Transport and A C Binns. It is always great to see fleets out in force at shows. There were also a lot of individuals who turned out to showcase their vans and trucks and represent companies.
Despite the initial problems a lot of people encountered if it didn't dampen spirits at the show and for me personally it was great to catch up with friends throughout the day.
Bookings are open for 2025 and tickets are now on sale for visitors https://www.truckfest.co.uk/truckfest-lincoln/
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