SOUTH DEERFIELD — The Antique Truck Club of America’s western Massachusetts chapter will host its 17th annual antique truck show on Sunday.
As is tradition, the Yankee Candle Corporate Headquarters on Yankee Candle Way will serve as the site of the show, with the public invited to see all manner of antique trucks from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Doug Richardson, a member of the local chapter, said the average event brings in around 125 trucks if the weather holds out.
For this event, Richardson said he is unsure how many trucks will show up because while the forecast predicts sun, the pandemic and high gas prices may discourage people from coming out.
“It’s mostly dependent on Mother Nature,” Richardson said. “You never know with the weather and the high price in fuel, we don’t know if that will discourage some people from coming.”
The show is usually held in the first weekend in May — last year’s was held in August as organizers waited for the pandemic to recede — and Richardson said the move to late May will hopefully ensure better weather.
“We’re planning for the normal event,” he said.
Parking and admission for the event is free and the trucks will be parked outside Yankee Candle’s distribution area. There will be food vendors and various raffles.
Richardson noted the western Massachusetts chapter’s truck show is one of the first ones held every year in the Northeast.
He said people can expect a wide variety of trucks ranging from the 1930s through the 1980s. He noted a truck is considered “antique” if it is more than 25 years old.
“You might get a couple of real oldies back from the ‘30s,” Richardson said. “A lot of the stuff is maybe from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s.”
Richardson himself plans to bring his 1986 Ford tractor if he can get the parts to put it together in time for the show.
“Right now it’s apart. I’m hoping to get the parts Thursday,” he said. If he can get the trailer ready, then he also wants to bring his 1972 Brockway as well.
Richardson encourages people to come out and see a part of history they may not normally see, at the price of free, to boot.
“Everything’s free,” he said. “We don’t charge for anything.”