Keep on trucking: Meet the machines at Legacy Village this weekend

It seems that most kids are infatuated with any vehicle that makes loud noises, moves dirt, or simply looms over the horizon.

This Saturday, Aug. 7 on Main Street and the Lawn at Legacy Village in Lyndhurst, kids of all ages will have the chance to get up close and personal with construction, emergency, and service vehicles, and machines of all makes and sizes—as well as get a chance to make their own race cars.

Hawken School will present Meet the Machines—where ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­an ambulance, firetruck, a Cleveland water buggy, a front-end loader, a snow plow, and other industrial vehicles will be available for kids to touch, climb on, and explore.

“This interactive event provides children the opportunity to see a wide range of cool vehicles, sit in the driver’s seats, and ask questions of police, fire, bomb squad, and service workers in a number of disciplines—all in one place,” says Lyndhurst mayor Patrick A. Ward. “There [will be] drone and robot demonstrations, as well as a great wood craft experience sponsored by Hawken School—making this an exciting event for all.”

Then, kids can participate in a Nerdy Derby, where they can use their imagination and ingenuity to create their own racing cars with materials provided by Hawken School. The kids design, build, and decorate their cars with wood and craft materials, and then ultimately race their cars down a wooden track on The Lawn.

“The kids are given wood for the base of their cars as well as wheels, dowels, and craft materials to decorate,” says Kara Gehring, Hawken’s interim director of the Hawken Innovation Lab. “I’m not sure [what will be] the funniest or most unique car- maybe one that a child made that was super small and went ridiculously fast!”

Attendees can also catch appearances by RealPopFusionUniversity Hospitals’ Safety Squad, and a variety of popular costume characters. Guests can register to win a Legacy Village gift basket and a four-pack of tickets to see the Broadway musical Frozen at Playhouse Square’s State Theatre.

Meet the Machines runs Sunday, August 7, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Legacy Village, 25001 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst.

Karin Connelly Rice
Karin Connelly Rice

About the Author: Karin Connelly Rice

Karin Connelly Rice enjoys telling people's stories, whether it's a promising startup or a life's passion. Over the past 20 years she has reported on the local business community for publications such as Inside Business and Cleveland Magazine. She was editor of the Rocky River/Lakewood edition of In the Neighborhood and was a reporter and photographer for the Amherst News-Times. At Fresh Water she enjoys telling the stories of Clevelanders who are shaping and embracing the business and research climate in Cleveland.