Big rigs, live music, and small-town hospitality converge in Prentice every September for the Northwoods Truck Show, part of the annual Prentice Progress Days celebration. Now in its seventh year, the show has grown from a modest gathering into a three-day event that draws truckers and spectators from across the Midwest.
The 2026 Northwoods Truck Show runs September 4 through 6 at MBS, located at 929 Railroad Avenue in Prentice. Registration is open now, and organizers are asking for non-perishable food donations in lieu of a cash entry fee — a fitting touch for an event built on community support.
From Small Start to Growing Tradition
The Northwoods Truck Show launched seven years ago as a way to bring something new to Prentice Progress Days, the village’s long-standing community festival. What started as a handful of trucks parked in a lot has expanded year after year into a full weekend featuring show trucks, a glow show, live music, a parade, pancake breakfasts, and family activities.
The growth reflects something about Prentice itself. This is a town of roughly 600 people in northern Price County, a place where the volunteer fire department and the Lions Club form the backbone of community life. Proceeds from the truck show go back to the organizing committee to support small-town events — and the event itself benefits the Lions Club and the Prentice Volunteer Fire Department.
A 2025 recap video posted to YouTube shows rows of gleaming semi trucks lined up at the fairgrounds, families walking the midway, kids on carnival rides, and a crowd gathered for live music as the sun goes down. Big rig Chrome Shop provided swag bags for registered drivers, and the event drew participation from owner-operators and fleet drivers alike.
2026 Schedule: A Full Weekend
Friday, September 4
5:00 PM – 9:00 PM . Firsthand High (street dance)
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM . Open registration at MBS
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM . Semi Glow Show at MBS
8:00 PM – 12:00 AM . Jerry Schmitt Band (street dance)
Saturday, September 5
7:00 AM – 9:30 AM . Pancake breakfast at Lions Park
9:30 AM . Trucks line up
10:30 AM . Parade
11:00 AM . Free kids’ rides and face painting at Lions Park
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM . Northwoods Truck Show
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM . Jon Peck and the Bad Dogs (live music)
6:00 PM – 12:00 AM . Live music at the Fire Department
Sunday, September 6
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM . Pancake breakfast at Lions Park
12:00 PM . Car show at Lions Park
1:30 PM . Corn hole tournament at Lions Park
What’s New This Year
The 2026 show brings back the Second Annual Glow Show on Friday night – a chance to see the semis lit up after dark. Saturday and Sunday both feature pancake breakfasts this year, a new addition. Showers will also be available at the Prentice High School locker room for campers and drivers.
And for the drivers: the Northwoods Truck Show is adding a Truckers Choice vote and trophy for 2026. Each registered driver receives a Big Rig Chrome Shop cinch sack, a coupon, a sticker, a catalog, and a 2026 Northwoods Truck Show t-shirt.
Visitors and registered truckers can buy tickets at the event to “vote” for their favorite truck or exhibit. The votes are tallied, and the top trucks win prizes. Past prizes have included heavy-duty tow straps, Peterbilt merchandise, and torque wrenches. This year’s prizes will depend on business donations.
This Year’s Music: Local Talent Meets Midwest Country
Friday night’s street dance doubles as a show of Wisconsin music at two very different scales. Opening the evening is Firsthand High, a Prentice-based trio that has quietly built a loyal following across the Northwoods. Made up of Joel Esterholm on bass and lead vocals, Tristan Edinger on lead guitar, and Jalen Maki on drums, the band delivers high-energy covers that pull from rock, country, and pop — the kind of set where Poison and the Ramones share a setlist. They have been gaining traction at regional events like Sleds N Jams in Merrill, and their local roots run deep: all three members hail from the Prentice area.
Closing out Friday night is the Jerry Schmitt Band, a five-piece country outfit that has earned a reputation as one of the premier country acts in the Midwest. Frontman Jerry Schmitt grew up in Stratford, Wisconsin, and is a Nashville recording artist in his own right. His band’s sound blends modern and traditional country with a rockabilly edge — the kind of music built for a late-summer street dance. The lineup includes seasoned musicians like Bernie Dick (a multi-instrumentalist with 30-plus years in the Wisconsin country scene), pedal steel player Doug Skicki (45-plus years in the business), and Chicago veteran Gordon Patriarca, whose four-decade career spans rock, blues, and country with some of the city’s best-known musicians. The Schmitt Band has become a regular fixture at rodeos, fairs, and casinos across Wisconsin and Minnesota, and they bring the kind of polished live set that keeps dance floors full until midnight.
Parade and Truck Lineup
The Prentice Progress Days parade steps off Saturday at 10:30 AM. Trucks line up at the intersection of County Road A and Railroad Avenue. Organizers ask that all show trucks gather near the end of the parade together. After the parade, trucks enter the grounds for the show, and a staging area is set up where individual photos are taken.
Camping and Amenities
Riverside Campground at 1599 Dr. MacKinnon Drive has electric-only sites for $20 per night on a first-come, first-served basis. Showers are available at the high school for anyone who needs them.
Food Vendors
Seven food vendors will be on site for the 2026 Northwoods Truck Show, offering everything from authentic Mexican cuisine to kettle corn. All vendors were confirmed by event organizers and are listed on the official Prentice Progress Days website.
- Casa Mexicana — Authentic Mexican cuisine from Rhinelander. Family-owned since 2001, serving tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more.
- CJ’s Coffee N’ Cream — Freshly roasted coffee, specialty drinks, and snacks from Phillips, Wisconsin.
- Grandpa Choo Choo’s Kettle Corn — Fresh-popped kettle corn, a fairground favorite.
- KJ’s Ice Cream — Hand-dipped Cedar Crest ice cream and frozen treats.
- Red Granite Bar 1933 — Food service only at the truck show (no bar service).
- Sweet’s Taste — Snack van with sweet treats and comfort food.
- Top Dogs of Wausau — Hot dogs, smoked brats, walking tacos, and more from their food cart.
How to Register
Registration is open now on the Progress Days website at progressdays.com. The preferred method is online registration, but you can also call Sam at 715-820-1173. The entry fee is non-perishable food items, which will go to support the community.
See also: Price County Fair 2026 in Phillips
The Spirit of Prentice
The Northwoods Truck Show works because the community shows up for it – the volunteers who cook pancakes, the firefighters who host live music, the local businesses that donate prizes, and the truckers who roll into town for a weekend of camaraderie. Seven years in, it has become one of the signature events on Price County’s calendar. If you haven’t been, this is a good year to see what you have been missing.
For full details and registration, visit progressdays.com/northwoods-truck-show.
Sources
- Makovskybrushservice — https://makovskybrushservice.com/
- Progressdays — Prentice Progress Days website
See also: our complete Price County fishing guide, our guide to free camping in Wisconsin, our 48-hour Price County itinerary and what makes Price County communities special
See also: our guide to every town in Price County
When you want a hot meal after camping, Ripsaw Saloon in Prentice is open Thu–Sun from 2 PM.