Arts, crafts and acts of kindness at MATS

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Melanie Walker creates elaborate designs on rocks using stickers and paint. (Image Courtesy of Melanie Walker)Melanie Walker creates elaborate designs on rocks using stickers and paint. (Image Courtesy of Melanie Walker)

Whether you’re just looking for a way to entertain your kids or if  you’re seeking a creative outlet, you can find that at the free rock painting tent at the Mid-America Trucking Show.

Melanie Walker, who rides along with her driver fiancé, Scott Wagner, is hosting the “Rockin’ Mid-America” event at MATS. Walker is a part of a group of truckers across the nation who paint rocks and leave them for others to find at truck stops and rest areas as a random act of kindness.

“It seems like every time you go to the truck stops everybody seems so angry. We just thought it may be something to make people smile plus it gives us something to do during the day or when we do our 34s,” Walker said.

She decided to bring it to MATS because she thought it would be fun for kids attending the show and anyone else who wants to be involved. 

“A friend of ours is actually bringing their wife and kids. We were talking about doing it as something to keep them busy and maybe something to remember the truck show by,” Walker said.

The rock painting tent will be set up next to the “Cause We Can” café on the Yellow Brick Road, the main yellow pedestrian walkway in the truck parking lot. They will be set up generally from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Walker said they may start earlier on Saturday and that the rock painting is weather permitting. All paint, rocks and brushes will be provided for free. All ages are welcome. The painting continue while supplies last.

Show Hours: 

  • March 22 VIP: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • March 22: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 23: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 24: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Show Location:

  • Kentucky Expo Center, 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Kentucky 40209 

Registration: 

  • Registration is available online for $10 or tickets can be purchased at the door for $10.

Parking: 

Free truck parking is available at Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium. A free shuttle service will be on site to take truckers from the parking lot to Kentucky Expo Center, and back. The truck parking lot will open March 21 at 7:30 a.m. and stay open through March 24 at 6 p.m. Trucks must enter the parking lot through Gate D. The GPS address for Gate D is: 4146 Park Boulevard, Louisville, Kentucky 40209.

The stadium has 3,000 passenger vehicle spots available. Parking is available at the Kentucky Expo Center for a fee. The fees are $30 per day for trucks, $8 per day for passenger vehicles and $50 per day for spots with hook-ups. Spots with hook-ups must be reserved.