What was once the dream of a third generation trucker has now become a reality for four years straight. The Swamp East Missouri Truck Show and Convoy, which is usually held every third weekend in April in Sikeston, Missouri, has been a dream of TW McDermott for years. With help from family, friends, and the communities of Sikeston and Charleston, Missouri, his dream has become a hit with the area that surrounds it. This year, the show was hosted on April 12-13, 2025. It had to be scheduled earlier this year due to Easter falling on the third week.
Named after the area of Southeast Missouri that was once swampland and then drained for agriculture and other various community uses, the Swamp East Missouri Truck Show and Convoy begins on a Friday with arrival, then there is a twenty-six mile convoy through the town of Sikeston, Missouri, north on I-57 to Charleston, Missouri, for its Dogwood Azalea Festival, and then back south to Sikeston, Missouri for a fun and family friendly light show. On Saturday of the show, the drivers, families, and public all gather to see some of the best working class trucks from around the country.
The show opened with a few trucks arriving at the Sikeston Recreational Complex Park early on Thursday. More trucks arrived on Friday, and then about forty trucks in all were in attendance on Saturday. The Sikeston, Missouri, Parks and Recreation Department also hosted a “Mighty Machines” event for kids, in an adjacent lot, in conjunction with the truck show. They had many types of rescue vehicles and equipment for kids and families to see and get up close and personal with. Therefore, it made for a fun family day out on a Saturday for the entire local community (and beyond).
A few awards were presented on Saturday. Best in Show went to Brad Causey of Mt. Vernon, Missouri. Tucker’s Choice was an award chosen by Tucker, who goes to the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center in town, and his award went to Matt Fouts of Hornersville, Missouri. Shelly Hartman of Gilman, Illinois, presented the Kameron Wilken Young Entrepreneurial Award in honor of her late son to Matt Fouts, as well.
The show donates its proceeds to the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center, a therapeutic center for children whose mission is “to improve the quality of life for children with special needs and their families throughout the community and region by providing a wide array of superior developmental and therapeutic services.” The dates for the next Swamp East Missouri Truck Show and Convoy have been set for Friday and Saturday, April 17-18, 2026. Everyone is welcome to attend and take part in this event that has been described as “a trucking family reunion” – and we love that!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks to various people who attended the show for providing the pictures!