Jul 22, 2024

The Iowa 80 Truckstop earlier this month celebrated its 45th Walcott Truckers Jamboree, celebrating truck drivers and the importance of trucking with a full schedule of events. Live concerts, more than 150 exhibits, the Super Truck Beauty Contest, an antique truck display, Iowa pork chop cook out, and more.

An estimated 53,400-plus people were in attendance during the event. Visitors came from all over the United States and Canada, including two Canadian provinces and states as far away as Arizona, South Carolina, Texas, and California.

The Iowa 80 Truckstop has been celebrating America’s professional drivers through the Walcott Truckers Jamboree since 1979.

According to Delia Moon Meier, Senior Vice President and second-generation owner of the Iowa 80 Truckstop, the Jamboree started “during deregulation, so there were almost no new trucks on the road. If a new truck drove by or pulled up to the fuel islands, everyone would run outside and look at it. My dad got with the local truck dealers and asked them to bring some new trucks out to display during our appreciation event.”

She added that her “dad had some antique trucks and his friends had some antique trucks, so they showed them off. It was unique. We had new trucks and antique trucks and Iowa pork chops. And that’s how the event started.”

Meier credited the staff at truck stop and the Iowa 80 Kitchen for the success of the event, and thanked everyone for hard work and dedication to making the event fun for everyone.

Both Thursday and Friday night of the show ended with live concerts and a fireworks display, a truck light show, and perfect weather this year. 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the truck stop itself, and was celebrated with a cake from Charm City Cakes based in Baltimore, Maryland.