This year, community members had the chance to interact with over 20 unique machines and vehicles. Photo by Rick Sloan

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Families gathered at Hagan Community Park on Sept. 19 for an exciting day full of exploration and curiosity at the Cordova Recreation & Park District’s (District) annual Meet the Machines event.

Meet the Machines is an event that brings together community members with local businesses and agencies, giving professionals the chance to share the work they do with exciting machines and vehicles.  This year, community members had the chance to interact with over 20 unique machines and vehicles. Children were able to climb into construction equipment and control the buckets, honk the horns of a garbage truck, meet firefighters and police officers in their vehicles, drive mobility equipment from Mcilwain Mobility Solutions and so much more.

Families had the chance to learn about mosquitoes at the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District table. Photo by Rick Sloan

Representatives from many local agencies and businesses attended the event, including Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District (Metro Fire), Folsom Ready Mix, Sacramento Area Sewer District and the Rancho Cordova Police Department. Attendees were thrilled when a surprise Metro Fire helicopter flew around the event, with kids waving to the team inside.

Families also had the chance to learn about mosquitoes at the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District table, rush down a huge inflatable slide, enjoy a train ride, let beach balls soar into the air with an industrial blower and enjoy some delicious treats.

Attendees had the chance to ride down a large inflatable slide during the annual Meet the Machines event. Photo by Rick Sloan

A huge thank you to the 52 staff members, volunteers and participating vendors who helped make this year’s event possible. A special thank you also goes to our sponsors, Sacramento Area Sewer District and Folsom Ready Mix, for making this event an even greater success, as well as District Director Brian Danzl for donating fun hard hats for the kids.

Meet the Machines continues to be a well-attended event, with steady and consistent attendance from year to year. This year, the event welcomed over 1,000 community members to Hagan Community Park. Meet the Machines will be back at Hagan Community Park next year on Sept. 18, 2027. To see future events and activities happening with the District, visit cordovarpd.gov.