Daytona Beach gearing up for busy Labor Day weekend with lifted truck gathering

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Labor Day weekend is shaping up to be a moneymaker, because not only is it a long weekend but the world’s largest lifted truck event is in town.

That’s creating big red flags because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 5,000 trucks and 30,000 people are expected to arrive in downtown Daytona Beach for not only Labor Day weekend but the 2020 Daytona Truck Meet. The event had been postponed in June.

The city is not sanctioning the event, but Police Chief Craig Capri said his officers will have it under control.

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He said that with many events being isolated to the Speedway and One Daytona, it will help reduce some of the traffic congestion.

“I have no control over this the event is coming; I got to anticipate and plan for it,” Capri said. “I don’t anticipate any problems with the promoter.”

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Hotels along the beach, which have been struggling since March to get steady booking, are also booked.

Capri believes the event could help some of the struggling businesses in town.

“There’s a lot of people hurting right now and there’s a lot of people this can help right now,” he said.

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