Columbus Food Truck Festival rolls into Franklinton this weekend with 55 Ohio vendors
After three years at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hilliard, the Columbus Food Truck Festival rolls back into Downtown — or closer to it, at least — this weekend.
The 13th annual showcase of Ohio's food-truck scene will take place Friday and Saturday in Franklinton and feature 55 trucks and carts from Columbus and other parts of the state.
The food, music and other attractions haven't left Hilliard for good, though. A one-day sequel to this weekend's festival is scheduled for Aug. 17 at the fairgrounds. Here's all you need to know about what's taking place Friday and Saturday.
When is the Columbus Food Truck Festival?
The festival is from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday on the Scioto Peninsula. Admission is free, but food and drinks are not.
Food isn't the only attraction. There are two stages, where 17 bands will play over both days. Friday's headliner, scheduled for 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. on the main stage, is '90s rap cover band the Winnie Cooper Project. Saturday's headliner, scheduled at the same time on the same stage, is neo-funk band MojoFlo. The full musical lineup is at columbusfoodtruckfest.com.
There's also a children's activities area on the Rich Street Bridge, arts and crafts vendors and Columbus Vintage Exchange featuring retro clothing, toys, vinyl and more. The total number of food and other vendors is 110.
You can bring chairs, blankets and tents to set up on the festival grounds, but you can't bring coolers.
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What kind of food can I get?
A better question is what kind of food can't you get? The answer: No one seems to be serving Icelandic cuisine this weekend.
But the 47 food trucks on the list will serve, in alphabetical but not exhaustive order, alligator bites, baba ganoush, Bahama Mamas, banh mi, birria, bratwurst, brisket, bulgogi, burgers, burritos, catfish, cheesesteaks, chicken tikka masala, crab rangoon, crunchwraps, egg rolls, empanadas, falafel, fish tacos, French fries, fried pork-chop sandwiches, fried rice, grilled cheese, gyros, hibachi, jerk chicken, jollof rice, jumbo shrimp, loaded tots, lobster rolls, mac and cheese, nachos, noodles, pakora, pizza, pulled pork, quesadillas, ribs, samosas, shawarma, Spam musubi, stuffed pretzels, sub sandwiches, tacos, tempura shrimp, turkey legs, wings and wraps.
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If you've got a sweet tooth, there's cheesecake, cookies, cupcakes, doughnuts, funnel cakes, gelato, ice cream, macarons and popsicles.
Where will the food trucks be parked?
The Scioto Peninsula is south of COSI on the Franklinton side of the Scioto River. The trucks will be parked along Town Street, Belle Street and Washington Boulevard.
The full list with locations is available at columbusfoodtruckfest.com.
Should I park in Franklinton or Downtown?
Parking on the Franklinton side of the river is your best bet unless you're in the mood for a bit of a walk from Downtown. You can prepay to reserve a spot in city garages by clicking a link at the festival website. There are also several private garages around Broad Street and south toward COSI and the Junto hotel.
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Be sure to look for nearby kiosks or signs with QR codes to pay for on-street parking Friday and Saturday.
Is rain in the forecast either day?
There's a chance of 30% chance of showers after 2 p.m. Friday, but the National Weather Service predicts a mostly sunny day with a high temperature near 90 degrees.
Bring your sunglasses for Saturday as the forecast includes all-day sun with a high near 91 degrees.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Food Truck Festival rolls into Franklinton this weekend
