When hundreds of trucks hit the road on Saturday, May 9, they'll be working to grant wishes. The 37th annual Make-A-Wish Mother's Day Truck Convoy will kick off at the Manheim Pennsylvania Auto Auction, 1190 Lancaster Road, Manheim. Truck parking, driver check-in and on-site registration will take place from 6 to 10 a.m. A silent auction and basket giveaways will be featured from 8 a.m. to noon. A Family Fest will be held from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. At 11 a.m., there will be a mandatory safety meeting for convoy drivers, before remarks and a Wish Angel Remembrance at noon. The convoy will depart at 1:30 p.m., and the event will conclude at 3 p.m.

There is a new route for the convoy this year, said Lori Dietrich, director of development for Make-A-Wish in Lancaster. The route will run west from Manheim on Route 283 to Tollhouse Road before looping back on Route 283 East and ending at the Esbenshade Road exit. The convoy will no longer travel through Mount Joy. A map of the route may be found at https://tinyurl.com/3rczvcks.

Good spots to view the convoy will include the Manheim Pennsylvania Auto Auction and LCBC Manheim, 2392 Mount Joy Road.

Dietrich said the convoy will include close to 400 trucks. Drivers can still register online at http://www.wishconvoy.org or in person on the day of the event.

People of all ages are invited to come out for the Family Fest. Activities will include games, vendors, DJ entertainment, food trucks, costumed characters, the famous convoy clowns, a silent auction, a basket raffle, hundreds of trucks to see, and the kickoff of the truck convoy.

"The Family Fest is open to the public," Dietrich remarked, "with free parking, free admission and free activities for families." While past events charged for game tickets, each child will receive free game tickets this year, she added. A variety of food trucks will be on-site for the Family Fest, including Castenedas Food Truck, Drifters, Mocha Motion Coffee, Piper Belles BBQ and Walk-O Taco.

The festivities have a carnival-like atmosphere, enhanced by the Make-A-Wish clowns.

"The clowns help to spread joy to attendees and serve a very important role as donation collectors at the event and along the route," Dietrich said. "Over the years, the convoy clowns have helped to raise thousands of dollars to grant wishes."

Proceeds from the day will support granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses through Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley.

"Currently, there are 73 kids waiting on their wish to be granted in our Susquehanna Valley region, 29 of which reside right here in Lancaster County," Dietrich shared. "Make-A-Wish relies 100% on the generosity of the community to be able to grant the wishes of critically ill children. Participating has a direct impact on local families."

With headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's wish-granting organizations. It serves children in all 50 states, as well as in more than 50 countries around the world. Since 1986, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 8,600 wishes.

Last year, the convoy raised $461,386 for Make-A-Wish. This year, organizers have set a goal of raising $525,000.

"The truck convoy is a legacy event for our chapter, which is honoring its 40th anniversary in 2026," Dietrich said. "The truck convoy was the first fundraising event organized 37 years ago, and it is amazing that the event lives on today. It plays an extremely important role in the chapter's ability to grant local wishes. We are able to keep this event going due to the generous spirit of the local community."

To learn more about the event, visit the aforementioned website.