City of Kingsport to celebrate Public Works Day 2026

The City of Kingsport will host its annual Public Works Day at the Farmers Market on May 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is being held during National Public Works Week (May 17-23) – a week-long celebration started by the American Public Works Association in 1960 to show the public the importance of public works in their daily lives.

This year’s theme is “Rooted in Service. Powered by Community,” which acknowledges the roots of service run deep in public works and is what has propelled public works innovations that have helped our communities evolve.

“Some work—like building roads and bridges—is highly visible, while other public works contributions—like maintaining water and sewer systems—are sometimes hidden from view,” said Deputy City Manager Ryan McReynolds. “Together, these efforts form the foundation of thriving communities, reminding us that every project, seen or unseen, powers the connection between service and the people it supports.”

In all, about 50 pieces of equipment will be on hand during the event, including automated garbage collection trucks, a trash grabber truck, mini street sweeper, leaf collection equipment, sewer camera vans, a directional drill machine, mowers, a backhoe and mini paver.

Kids will be able to take a short trip up in a bucket truck, attempt to pick up a tire with a grabber truck, hook a metal pin with a backhoe or attempt to drop a tennis ball into a bucket with a Gradall machine.

All divisions within public works will be represented and employees will be on hand to demonstrate the equipment and answer questions from the public. Several presentations explaining essential daily operations will take place throughout the event.

In addition to the heavy equipment, activity stations will be set up to allow children to paint sign replicas of manhole covers, look through microscopes to see bacteria and see how cameras go through sewer pipes. Kids can also play in the large sandbox, run through a water sprinkler and visit the “Then & Now” display to see public works equipment of today and in the past.

Kingsport’s Public Works Department is the largest, non-school related, department in the city with approximately 360 employees. The department includes water and sewer, streets and sanitation, building maintenance, traffic, fleet maintenance, GIS, engineering, stormwater, IT, Transit and the Metropolitan Transportation and Planning Organization.