Food truck season is revving up.
With the warmer weather arrives food truck rallies, gatherings and festivals.
The trucks provide fast, inexpensive and eclectic foods to satisfy everyone’s culinary tastes. Take your pick from burgers and barbecue to grilled cheese and cupcakes.
In the Harrisburg area the trucks are a common site with familiar names like Mad Dash, Soul Burrito and Get Smok’d BBQ. You just need to know where to find them.
To help you out, here are 11 food truck events to visit through the fall:
First Fridays
New this year for hungry lunch crowds in the city arrives First Fridays.
Starting April 5, food trucks will be rolling onto North Second Street. The outdoor events will be held once a month on the first Friday of the month in front of city hall at 10 N. Second St.
Soul Burrito co-owner Obi Linton said he came up with the idea as a lunch alternative for city workers and residents. The events also give mobile vendors a gathering spot to share their cuisine, from barbecue to burgers and burritos.
The events will be lunch only, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We don’t want to be greedy and try and do something for dinner because of the businesses down there, and we don’t want to step on anyone’s toes,” Linton said.
Before publicizing First Fridays, Linton said he received permission from the City of Harrisburg as well as nearby restaurants including Hops, Vines and Spirits, Bacco Pizzeria and Wine Bar and the Hilton Harrisburg.
“We definitely didn’t want to do it without permission. The city supports food trucks with all the different events in the city,” he said.
Between three and four trucks will participate on a rotating basis including 717 Tacos, Get Smok’d BBQ, Up in Smoke, Dog Pound, Mad Dash, ShreddRRZ, The Potato Coop, Soul Burrito and Soul Wings, among others.
First Fridays will operate through November.
Food Truck Rallies
Fully knowing there’s a captive – and hungry - audience around the state Capitol complex, food trucks pull in to Soldiers Grove once a month on a Wednesday during warmer weather. Find them at 531-559 Commonwealth Ave.
The next one is scheduled for 11 a.m.-2 p.m. April 17 with Soul Burrito, Pretzel Spot, Mad Dash, Potato Coop, Lucky Penny, Sugar Whipped and On My Grind. If you can’t make it in April, look for them on May 22 and June 19.
Harrisburg Outdoor Food Court
Another new food truck gathering, Harrisburg Outdoor Food Court makes use of a vacant property on the East Shore.
The gatherings kicked-off March 1 at the former Manheim Car King at 3570 Paxton St. in Swatara Township. The property is located across Paxton Street from Bass Pro Shops at Harrisburg Mall.
The gatherings are held Wednesday-Sunday but only if trucks are signed up.
During the events, up to five food trucks park at the property and sell foods such as burgers, grilled cheese, hot dogs, Italian foods and coffee.
Owner Ted Kelemen said he created the food court as a way to pay the mortgage and make use of the vacant property, which he said in several years will be displaced as part of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s I-83 Capital Beltway widening project.
Swatara Township gave approval for five trucks to park at the property every day, he said. The vendors will rotate and schedules will published on the Harrisburg Outdoor Food Court Facebook page.
Truck Trek
Truck Trek combines art and food for one big street fair.
For the fifth year, it will fill the streets of Palmyra from 11 a.m. -6 p.m. May 11. The event benefits The Caring Cupboard and will be held along four blocks of West Cherry Street.
More than 35 businesses and craft vendors will be in attendance along with more than 20 food trucks and vendors.
Look for live entertainment as well as activities for the little ones in the Kids Zone.
Participating trucks include: Uncle Paul's Stuffed Pretzels, Soul Burrito, Mad Dash Concessions, Mount Gretna Craft Brewery, Sugar Whipped Bakery, Sittin Pickin Chickin, Lancaster Burger Co., Ice Cream Express, Uncle Jerry's Kettle Corn, Blazing Swine, The Potato Coop, Bountiful Feast, Smoothie King, Big Chipper BBQ, Nooner's Wood-Fired Pizza, Lucky Penny Burger Co., 717 Tacos, Baby Blues BBQ, Waffle Mamas, Brasil on Wheels, Sweet Dawgs, Makin Whoopie Pies and The Taza Truck.
The Third Friday Food Truck Feast at the First United Methodist Church of Mechanicsburg, PASean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com July 21, 2017 HAR
3rd in the Boro
3rd in the Boro is back for its third year at First United Methodist Church at 135 W. Simpson St., Mechanicsburg. The season kicks off 4-8 p.m. May 17, and the events are held the third Friday of every month through October.
The event was created by Harrisburg Food Truck Feast, a group of vendors who at one time gathered in midtown Harrisburg but relocated to Mechanicsburg.
Participating trucks for the May gathering include: Mad Dash, 717 Tacos, Up in Smoke, It’s All Greek, Lucky Penny Burger Co. and Sugar Whipped.
DJ Allen livens up the atmosphere by spinning the tunes.
“People just walk there. It gets them out of the house. We really love it there. It’s a great location,” said Jessica Boryszewski, organizer and owner of Mad Dash food truck.
The event has spun into two new gatherings this year:
Dinner in Dillsburg will be held 4:30-8 p.m. the second Friday of every month, April through October, at Calvary First United Methodist Church at 203 Mumper Lane in Dillsburg. The church is located in a development with townhouses, condos and apartments. In addition, you can eat inside a pavilion with picnic tables and the kids can entertain themselves on jungle gym equipment. For the April 12 event, look for Mad Dash, Get Smok’d BBQ, Soul Burrito and Savory’s Funnel Cakes.
Wheeling Food Wednesdays will be held 4-8 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of every month from April through September at Adams Ricci Park at 100 E. Penn Drive in East Pennsboro Township. The first one takes place April 24.
Food Truck Fire Truck Festival
Food trucks and fire trucks, what could be better? The 2nd annual event takes place 11 a.m.-3 p.m. June 1 at Daybreak Church at 321 Gettysburg Pike, Mechanicsburg. Fifteen food trucks are expected to pull into the event. You’ll also be able to see local fire company’s apparatus, ambulances and first responders and artisans/crafters.
Taste of Independence Food Truck Festival
Food trucks will return on the Fourth of July to Harrisburg.
This year, the city is bringing back the Taste of Independence Food Truck Festival & Fireworks Show on July 4.
The food truck festival will fill Riverfront Park from 3-9 p.m. with food, children’s activities and fireworks. More than 40 food trucks are expected to roll in for the festivities.
What the Food Trucks
What the Food Trucks York is the largest one-day food truck festival in York County, if not central Pa. This year’s will be held 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 1 at Penn Park at 100 W. College Ave. in York. Close to four dozen trucks and mobile vendors pulled in to last year’s event that also included live music and a beer garden. The choices will be endless, from burritos and barbecue to stuffed pretzels and gourmet Reubens.
Wish Upon a Food Truck Festival
The 5th Annual Wish Upon A Food Truck Festival will be held 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 14 at the AACA Museum, Inc. (Antique Automobile Club of America) at 161 Museum Drive in Hershey (Route 39). The festival attracts nearly 40 trucks along with children’s activities, local celebrities, wish celebrations/reveals, and music. New this year chef Edmund “Eddie” Konrad, who was recently on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and Danielle McNerney, winner of Food Network’s Junior "Chopped,” will be on hand. The festival benefits Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, which serves 10 counties in southeastern Pennsylvania.