Alex Debogorski, who starred on the History Channel show “Ice Road Truckers,” will be a featured guest at the 15th annual Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show Friday, September 17, to Sunday, September 19, in St. Ignace. (Rockwood Products, Inc. photograph) Decked out in high-tech flashing lights with their horns blaring, an unbroken five-mile chain of 18-wheelers will thunder through Mackinaw City and St. Ignace Saturday, September 18, for the “Parade of Lights,” illuminating the Mackinac Bridge as they cross between cities during the 15th Annual Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show in St. Ignace this weekend.

Slated for 8 p.m. Saturday, the parade is one among several attractions during truck show weekend Friday, September 17, to Sunday, September 19. All truck show events are free to the public.

Truckers will have their rigs on display on State Street throughout the weekend's show, which will feature Alex Debogorski from the show “Ice Road Truckers” on the History Channel, nationally acclaimed music artist Joey Holiday, and a live satellite radio presentation from “Freewheelin' with Meredith Ochs and Chris T,” a popular show on the station “Road Dog Truckin'.”

In the past three years, event organizer Ed Reavie said, the show has grown into arguably one of the top three truck shows in the country. More than 100 trucks are expected to roll into town for this year's show.

“All of a sudden this thing's taken on a whole life of its own, like the car show. Now this is a really serious event, and people in the truck world tell me that it's one of the best,” he said.

The “Parade of Lights” attracts people to both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, Mr. Reavie said, drawing large roadside crowds. The trucks will depart from St. Ignace on State Street, cross the Mackinac Bridge, cruise through downtown Mackinaw City, and cross the bridge again to arrive in St. Ignace for an evening parade down State Street.

Every truck has its own original lighting style, Mr. Reavie said.

“The lighting on the trucks gets more spectacular every year. They have strobe lights that are flashing and special horns,” he said.

The show officially kicks off with a light contest Friday from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Little Bear East Arena in which cash prizes will be given to truckers with the best illuminated features on their rigs. Throughout Saturday and Sunday downtown, spectators will get the chance to chat with truckers about their rigs, see their interiors, and take photographs.

The truckers “love to show off their interiors,” Mr. Reavie said. “They live in these things, so they're nice. And these are trucks that are on the road and doing everything they need to do to make a living.”

While there are numerous truck shows across the country, truckers say the distinctive setting of the show in St. Ignace makes it stand alone, he said.

“Truck stops are all the same from coast-to-coast, but when they're [here] they have the water in front of them, the people love them, and it's a one-of-a-kind atmosphere,” Mr. Reavie said.

Wrapping up the show on Sunday at Little Bear East Arena, several awards will be announced, including two $1,000 prizes for best in show combo, which includes trucks with trailers, and best in show bobtail, which includes trucks only.

In addition to the truck show, the annual Mackinac Ford Sales “On the Waterfront” car show and swap meet will be held concurrently Saturday, September 18, and Sunday, September 19, at Little Bear East Arena. This year's show will feature four-door sedans and station wagons, as well as a toy show inside the arena, including a pedal car contest. Awards for the competition will be announced Sunday.