A handful of food trucks gathered in the parking lot outside the Pavilion Friday, June 8, serving up some tasty local favorites to a crowd of hungry lunchtime diners.
That sight will be a familiar one throughout the summer months, as part of the Noon Rotary Club's new "Food Truck Fridays."
Every Friday through Sept. 4 (Labor Day weekend), local food trucks will be serving up their finest fare between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., rain or shine. This past Friday's lineup included the DL Ice Cream Truck, Fork on the Road, Wood Fire Pizza and Donuts by Denise, though Noon Rotary Club incoming president Travis Stone noted that there would be more variety added as the summer progresses.
"We're trying to get some more trucks out here," he said. "The idea is to get people out here to the park to enjoy some of our local flavors."
Local residents Terry Kalil and Linda Schell were among the first to show up at the park on Friday.
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"I'm just happy to be out and seeing people," Kalil said, adding that she and Schell, who both are on the local library board, came down to the park after a board meeting to have lunch together.
"I love the idea of this," said Schell, noting that she particularly enjoyed the "positive vibes" from the messages that were etched in chalk on the pavement leading up to where the trucks were gathered.
"In light of current events, it's fun to see something happening that's peaceful and happy and positive," Kalil agreed.
Several area vendors are expected to take part this summer.
"Eight or nine others (food truck operators) have expressed interest," added Dave Long, another Rotary Club member who was involved in organizing the new weekly event.
He added that Food Truck Fridays was an offshoot of last summer's highly successful Trucks & Tunes monthly gathering, which may also be making a comeback later this summer.
Wood Fire Pizza owner Tanner Duncan said that he was "a big fan" of food truck gatherings like this one, noting that when he had attended similar gatherings in Denver — his former home — there were as many as 50-60 trucks in attendance.
"We're doing something here on a little smaller scale," he added. "We're hoping to create some good end-of-week vibes and bring more visitors to the community."
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Get to know a food truck
The food truck craze has taken off in the lakes area. Here are some of the many that are hitting the road around the area this summer:
Foodie/Spanky's Stone Hearth - Street Inspired Eats, on Facebook @SpankysStoneHearth , 218-334-3555
Fork on the Road, on Facebook @ForkOnTheRoadDL , 218-234-3417
The Green Canteen, on Facebook @GiveMeThoseChilis , 218-639-3009
The Ice Cream Truck, on Facebook @DLIceCreamTruck , 218-308-7765
Jonny's, on Facebook @JonnysDetroitLakes , 218-849-3464
The Smoke Wagon, on Facebook @TheSmokeWagonVergas , 320-424-0291
Wood Fire Pizza, on Facebook @WhereIsWoodFire , 218-841-3113
