Wheels up! See Hot Wheels Monster Trucks!

Halloween may be over, but you can still encounter a monster – a Hot Wheels Monster Truck, that is! Actually, you can encounter a whole fleet of the motorized monsters at an exciting, entertaining family-friendly event Nov. 4–5, 2023.

By Peg Cameron Gill Whether you collected a treasure trove of the tiny metal marvels or only had a few, if you’re any kind of a Hot Wheels fan, listen up: Hot Wheel handlers of all ages will be thrilled to watch their favorite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks revving and roaring in the dark!  Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live! Glow Party is returning to St. Charles for another action-packed appearance at the Family Arena. This popular family entertainment tour brings audiences the only chance to watch their favorite Hot Wheels Monster Trucks – Mega Wrex™, Tiger Shark™, Boneshaker™, Bigfoot® and more, plus the all-new Gunkster™ – light up the arena floor in outrageous monster truck competitions and beastly battles. Event performances also feature a dazzling dance party, spectacular laser light shows, and Hot Wheels toy giveaways.  But that’s not all: The audience can also thrill to a special appearance by the car-eating, fire-breathing transforming robot, MEGASAURUS, and the electrifying high-flyers of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live, Freestyle Motocross!  The exciting Crash Zone Pre-Show will be held 2½ hours before every performance. A Crash Zone Pre-show pass gives pass holders access to the competition floor to see the outrageous designs and epic size of the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks up close. Each pass includes an autograph card, plus a souvenir pass and lanyard exclusive to Crash Zone attendees. You can purchase passes while supplies last.  There are two performances on Sat. Nov. 4 and one on Nov. 5  You can get tickets and event information here. (Tickets are subject to convenience and facility fees.)  Special kids’ pricing is available for all shows, providing a monster value for the whole family. Doors open one hour prior to showtime. About Mattel and Hot Wheels: It all began in a garage in 1945, as a collaboration between Ruth and Elliot Handler, and Harold “Matt” Matson. They were designers and engineers, whose collective focus on creativity and innovation forever changed how kids play. In the decades since, Mattel has grown into a leading global toy company and creator of franchises beloved by children and families around the world.  In 1968, Hot Wheels was invented by a team of Mattel creators, which included a rocket scientist and a car designer. The cars were sparked by Elliot’s idea to create miniature die-cast vehicles that combined cool designs with speed, power, and performance. Hot Wheels launched with a focus on “igniting the challenger spirit in every child.”

Hot Wheels brought  drag racing back into pop culture in 1970 with Snake & Mongoose. The re-creations of the rivalry between racecar drivers Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen encouraged kids to act out their own side-by-side racing battles. Once 1997 rolled around, Hot Wheels partnered with NASCAR to bring racing legends Kyle Petty and Jack Baldwin to the brand and put NASCAR-themed vehicles into kids’ hands for the first time. The Hot Wheels-NASCAR partnership endured for the next decade. The first life-sized Hot Wheels car, the Twin Mill, was unveiled at the 2001 SEMA custom auto show in Las Vegas. Over 20 life-sized Hot Wheels are now in the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends. Then in 2011, Hot Wheels jumped into history again, smashing the world record for longest ramp-to-ramp distance jump at the 100th Anniversary of the Indy 500, at a length of 332 feet. The legendary legion of die-cast demons turned 50 in 2018. Mattel launched its own comprehensive monster truck franchise, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks in 2018, with a full line of die-cast vehicles, playsets, consumer products, and a national live-event tour called Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live. Hot Wheels ID followed in 2019, the first-ever digital+physical mixed-play racing track system, featuring uniquely identifiable, NFC-enhanced die-cast cars. In 2020, Hot Wheels marked two major milestones in its driving journey, producing its 8 billionth die-cast vehicle and topping $1 billion in annual revenue. Mattel then became the first toy company to launch NFTs with the Hot Wheels NFT Garage series in 2021. “The First Editions” included minted NFTs for “The Twin Mill”, “Deora II”, and “Bone Shaker”. Today, Hot Wheels celebrates its status as the #1 selling toy in the world with the Hot Wheels Legends Tour. And now you’re up to speed! Hot Wheels surely helped inspire interest in this iconic route. For hundreds more events, visit Missouri Life’s Event Calendar.