Words:
Photos:
At the intersection of the I-5 and the Tacoma Dome (in Washington), you’ll find the LeMay, “America’s Car Museum,” a 165,000-square-foot facility dedicated to the love of automobiles, and one of the finest automotive museums in the country. So, it was altogether fitting that Nitto Tire chose the LeMay as the site for its first-ever RigFest, a gathering of overland vehicles in a grassy setting more often populated by vintage automobiles, antique racers and wine tasting
Held on June 29th, the museum may not have been the ideal place to camp, but its proximity to Seattle and access to the freeway made for easy ingress and egress for vendors and participants. On this day, the weather was also cooperative, and the event took place without incident. Organized by Cie Digital Labs, Nitto’s advertising agency ( the same organizer behind Nitto’s Auto Enthusiast Day, an event that in its seventh year has grown to over 26,000 attendees), they came prepared to put on a first-class affair, and thanks to all the participants that gathered, the event was a success.
Mule Expedition Outfitters, Hypertech, White Knuckle Off-Road, Black Rock Wheels, Tuffy Security, Offroad Power Products/Diesel Power Products, OutdoorX4, Northridge 4X4, ARB USA, Common Fibers, Driving Line, Down2Mob, and Hazzard Fab Worx (to name a few) were among those displaying. Nitto loaded up all the attendees with a wide array of branded products, from hats and T-shirts to duffle bags and patches – a fine booty for everyone who took part in RigFest.
As good a first effort as could be expected, RigFest was a learning experience for both Nitto and for Cie Digital Labs. We expect Nitto will host another RigFest in the not-too-distant future, and Adventure Rigs will no doubt be there to help out. We would like to extend a big thank you to everyone at Nitto Tire and the staff at Driving Line for their hospitality.
