Public Works Day

The City of Kingsport is hosting its annual Public Works Day at the Farmers Market on May 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is being held during National Public Works Week (May 18-24) – 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.
In all, about 50 pieces of equipment will be on hand, 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, try and 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 more!