Thomas Downhower, 2 years old, prepares to exit a Case farm tractor at the Touch-A-Truck event. His mother, Jamie Downhower, brought him.

SYRACUSE — There are toys and then there are big toys. At least from the perspective of a child anyway.

Syracuse Parks Department held its annual Touch-A-Truck event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 5, on Long Drive in front of the Syracuse Community Center and also in the community center driveway. Tyler McLead, outgoing program director for the parks department, noted the event was moved from the parking lot where it was held last year in order to add more vehicles and “we were taking away more parking spaces” previously. He added it is safer for the children too.

Touch-A-Truck gives children the chance to see, touch and explore big trucks, heavy equipment and emergency vehicles. There is also interaction with firemen, police officers, construction workers and more.

McLead estimated between 20 and 30 vehicles were on display. New vehicles this year included Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department special operations, Kuert Concrete mixer, a monster truck, an Army tow truck and a Protech vehicle. Other vehicles included, among others, Syracuse police and fire departments, Turkey Creek Fire Territory, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, town of Syracuse and a Wawasee Community Schools bus.

Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee had a bike rodeo to promote bicycle safety and also present at the event were food vendors, health organizations and more.