Festival Announces participating food vendors, daily music lineups, and amazing additions including live cooking demonstrations of MOTEL FRIED CHICKEN from celebrity chef and Food Network star Chad Rosenthal. (Picture above, Chad Rosenthal. Image courtesy Neil Santos.)
(COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 1, 2022) — After much anticipation, the pair behind the Midwest’s premier food truck event, Chas Kaplan and Mike Gallicchio, are thrilled to announce the food vendor selections and live music performance roster for the Columbus Food Truck Festival, Aug. 19–21 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. As in year’s past, the event promises to deliver a delicious event for the region.
In addition to the food and live music, the duo has added a series of live cooking demonstrations with former buckeye and Food Network star Chad Rosenthal courtesy of the United Soybean Board (USB) as well as an autograph signing session with The Ohio State University Men’s Basketball forward Zed Key.
“Now in our 11th year, the Food Truck Festival continues to be a summer highlight for festival goers in the region, and we’re proud to continue the tradition of showcasing a diverse selection of best-in-class food trucks in such a celebratory way,” said Chas Kaplan, festival co-organizer. He continues, “We are not just a food festival– we offer a complete experience with music, unique shopping, and entertainment… literally we have something for everyone.”
With food central to the event, vendors are carefully curated for their quality, service, and uniqueness they bring to their genre and the festival. “We always take our time selecting trucks for the festival and this year was no exception,” said Kaplan. Vendors range from returning favorites to first time attendees. As always with the festival, there is an emphasis on offering a diverse variety of fare. “We encourage guests to expand their pallets and try something new.” The cuisine reaches all ends of the foodie spectrum and includes modern twists on traditional American classics to Hawaiian Asian Fusion, Native American street food and everything in between.
CONFIRMED FOOD TRUCKS/MOBILE FOOD VENDORS (* indicates first year at FTF)
Food Truck | Cuisine/Genre | Food Truck | Cuisine/Genre | |
Adams Eden Food | Multi Genre: American, Greek | Machete Taqueria | Mexican (variety of dishes) | |
AllenMarie’s Delicious Dishes* | American (wraps, sandwiches, fried mac and cheese balls) | Momma Can Cook | American (comfort food) | |
Amish Country Donuts | American (huge sourdough dipped donuts) | NAICCO Cuisine | Native American (Native American street food) | |
Big Mouth Egg Rolls | Vietnamese (fresh handmade egg rolls) | NeNe’s Sweets | Desserts (cakes and cupcakes) | |
Chick Mac Truck | American (mac and cheese dishes) | Ono Turo Turo | Hawaiian Asian Fusion (varies unique dishes) | |
Cousins Maine Lobster | American (fresh lobster dishes) | Phillip’s On Wheels | American (hot dogs, sliders, sandwiches | |
Cupzilla | Korean BBQ (Korean inspired dishes in a cup) | Pizza Cottage | Italian American (pizza, subs, salads) | |
Dave’s Caribbean | Jamaican (variety of authentic dishes) | Pretzelfuls | American (gourmet stuffed pretzels) | |
El Sabor de la Vida* | Latin (homemade Colombian dishes) | Roadster | American Lebanese Fusion (sandwiches, burgers) | |
Fork in Nigeria | Nigerian (dishes embody traditional Nigerian flavors) | S.E.A. Cuisine | Southeast Asian (pho, tacos, bahn) | |
Fun’l Frezy | American (unique made from scratch funnel cakes) | Shrimp Lips Seafood | Cajun/Creole (comfort food, seafood) | |
GESSWHO Taco | Mexican (authentic Mexican) | Smitty’s BBQ | American (variety of BBQ, comfort foods) | |
Good & Tasty | American (BBQ) | |||
Gorilla Gurt | Desserts (self service ice cream, froyo and sorbets) | Taesty’s | American (Southern-style comfort foods) | |
Graeter’s Ice Cream | Desserts (french small batch ice creams) | The Cheesecakery | Desserts (fresh varieties of cheesecakes) | |
Havana Mia Food Truck | Latin (authentic Cuban dishes) | The Cheesy Weenie Hot Dog Truck | American (hot dogs, chili dogs, vegan options) | |
Hogback BBQ Pit | American (BBQ, comfort foods) | The Gifted Gourmet | Various (customized for each event) | |
Ice Box Brand Ice Cream Bars | Desserts (artisan made ice cream bars) | The Mini Donuts Factory | Desserts (freshly made mini donuts in a variety of flavors) | |
Iriejam Island Grill | Jamaican (authentic Jamaican dishes) | Tito’s Asian Kitchen | Pan Asian (comfort classics) | |
Island Noodles | Hawaiian (soba noodles, vegan options) | Top Nach-O | Mexican (variety of nacho combinations) | |
Johnson’s Real Ice Cream | Desserts (family recipe ice creams made with real ingredients) | Tortilla Street Food | Mexican (Mexican street food) | |
Kabobske Mediterranean* | Mediterranean/Lebanese (fresh, healthy selections) | Yummi Kettle Corn | Desserts (kettle corn) | |
La Orangette | Beverages (fresh fruit smoothies, fresh juices) | Zaki Food Inc | Lebanese, Turkish, Middle Eastern Fusion (hummus, falafel, shawarma) | |
Iacarne* | American/Italian (Chicago-style beef and sausages) | Zone 5 BBQ | American (BBQ, soul food, burgers) | |
Lyles Crepes | Contemporary (variety of crepes from chicken bacon feta to lemon berry) | Hai Poké | Traditional Poke and Veggie Bowls. |
Complimenting the wonderful food are over a dozen artisans and crafters, live music, and demonstrations
New this year is a series of in-person cooking demonstrations presented by the United Soybean Board (USB) featuring celebrity chef Chad Rosental and his award-winning MOTEL FRIED CHICKEN. Rosenthal, a former OSU buckeye and restaurateur, has made numerous appearances on the Food Network including “Next Food Network Star,” “Chopped,” and most recently “Beat Bobby Flay” where he ‘beat’ Bobby with his MOTEL FRIED CHICKEN.
Rosenthal will be frying up this now infamous recipe with high quality, Ohio grown high oleic soybean oil. “We are excited to partner with Chad to showcase his incredible MOTEL FRIED CHICKEN made with the highest quality ingredients, grown right here in Ohio,” said John Motter, USB past chair and Ohio soybean farmer. “U.S. farmers grow heart-healthy and sustainable soybeans for consumers, and visitors to the festival will be able to taste Chef Chad’s famous chicken, which is cooked in high oleic soybean oil grown by Ohio farmers.”
CHAD ROSENTHAL’S MOTEL FRIED CHICKEN COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS PRESENTED BY THE UNITED SOYBEAN BOARD
Date | Time/s/ |
Saturday, Aug. 20 | 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. |
Sunday, Aug. 21 | 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. |
The Ohio State University’s Men’s Basketball player and power forward Zed Key will also make a special guest appearance complete with an autograph signing at the festival on Sunday from 1p.m-4 p.m. Festival attendees may bring items to be signed into the festival. Maximum 2 items signed per person with paid festival admission (location TBD). In anticipation of Key’s upcoming appearance at the Food Truck Festival, Kaplan stated, “Zed Key is ready to get the Buckeyes back to The Big Dance (NCAA tournament) this upcoming season and we are excited to have Zed join us at this year’s festival! Go Buckeyes!”
PERFORMANCE DAILY LINEUPS
The festival boasts two stages, a Main Stage and Acoustic Stage, stacked with live performances throughout the three day event.
Festival headliners taking the Main Stage include: Willie Phoenix (Friday), Angela Perley (Saturday), and The Winnie Cooper Project (Sunday). Rounding out the Main Stage are performances by: The Infinite Flower Machine, Adam Paddock, The Deeptones, Trio Fa2, School of Rock, Blue Cats, Birdshack, Zoo Trippin, Andy Shaw Band, Jocef Michael Band, Large Mouth Bass Band, and The Big Badd.
For those looking for a more low-key vibe, the Acoustic Stage is packed with local and regional favorites including: Vivid Gardens, TJ Shoemaker, Eric Nassau, Joey Viola, Freer Hall, Ryan Wilkins, Mark Rhodes, Jared Denen, Jeff Myers, Johnny Moderation, Faye, Cortney Gail, Topher James, Andy Shaw, and Angela Perley.
The festival would be amiss if it didn’t have a special activity area for the youngest foodies in attendance. The Hilliard Historical Village located on the fairgrounds will be a respite for the kiddos with activities and a play area to burn off some energy.
Single day admission tickets are just $5 per person and can be purchased online or at the gate if available. A special weekend admission ticket, good for all three days of the festival, is $10 per person and available in advance, online only through Aug.18. Both ticket types can be purchased at ColumbusFoodTruckFest.com. Children 12 years of age and younger receive complimentary admission but must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. Guests are strongly encouraged to get their tickets before heading to the event as this event is anticipated to sell out.
Limited complimentary onsite parking* is included with the admission ticket. *Parking is on a first-come, first-served basis for ticket holders. On street parking is also conveniently located around the Franklin County Fairgrounds.
A portion of the proceeds from the festival benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio and Music Loves Ohio. Both nonprofits have an established history of serving children and families in and around Central Ohio. Since the festival’s inception in 2011, organizers have donated over $75,000 to local charities from the event’s proceeds.
HOURS AND GENERAL INFORMATION SUMMARY
The Columbus Food Truck Festival, Hilliard Edition runs Friday, Aug. 19 from 4 p.m.–11 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 20 from 11 a.m.–11 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 21 from 12 p.m. –7 p.m. and is located at the Franklin County Fairgrounds 4100 Columbia St, Hilliard, OH 43026.
Admission is per person. Single day tickets are $5; $10 weekend tickets good for all three days are available in advance, online only through Aug. 18. Children 12 years of age and younger are complementary, but must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. The event is rain or shine.
For directions, the complete list of participating mobile food vendors, as well as the schedule of activities, and musicians, please visit ColumbusFoodTruckFest.com or the festival’s Facebook at @colsfoodtruckfest.
ABOUT CHAD ROSENTHAL
Born and raised in Philly, Chad’s a nationally recognized, self-taught chef who has been in the kitchen since age five and found his calling in the world of barbecue. He’s a successful restaurateur, having opened a handful of BBQ and comfort food spots in the Philadelphia area, including his flagship – The Lucky Well.
Over the past two decades, Chad has appeared on several local and national television shows, including two seasons of Food Network Star, Chopped Grill Masters, Beat Bobby Flay and Good Morning America. He’s constantly on the hunt for new flavors and inspirations and loves to combine live fire cooking with the smoke of true American BBQ and strongly believes that simple is always best!
His newest experience, MOTEL FRIED CHICKEN, is taking the country by storm, one chicken sandwich at a time. Look for it in a city near you soon! Visit Chef Chad’s website to learn more at chadrosenthal.com.
ABOUT THE UNITED SOYBEAN BOARD (USB)
United Soybean Board’s 78 volunteer farmer-leaders work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments. These volunteers create value by investing in research, education and promotion with the vision to deliver sustainable soy solutions to every life, every day across the three priority areas of Infrastructure & Connectivity, Health & Nutrition, and Innovation & Technology. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff. For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit unitedsoybean.org.
ABOUT ZED KEY
Hailing from Bay Shore, New York, Zed Key is a power forward for the OSU Men’s Basketball Team. Key in his junior year, stands 6’ 8” and weighs in at 245 lbs. About his time so far at OSU, Key stated, “I have enjoyed every single moment on and off the court. My teammates are like brothers I never had– we are there for each other.”
ABOUT THE COLUMBUS FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL
The two-day event, named Best Foodie Event in the state by Ohio Magazine in 2017, features the best mobile food vendors from throughout the region as well as arts and crafts vendors, and dozens of bands on two stages.
While the festival’s mission is to support food tourism in the Central Ohio area and support small business, another very essential component to the festival is to help build awareness and support local nonprofit organizations that serve the Central Ohio community. This year, the festival’s charitable partners include Music Loves Ohio and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. “Both of these nonprofit organizations give so much to the community and we want to support their efforts,” said Kaplan.
Find them online at ColumbusFoodTruckFest.com and on Facebook at @colsfoodtruckfest.
ABOUT THE FRANKLIN COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS AND THE FRANKLIN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
The Franklin County Fairgrounds is operated by the Franklin County Agricultural Society. The objectives of the Society are the improvement of agriculture, horticulture, better livestock, uniform domestic science and art, and the promotion of youth activities, and the general community betterment together with all other industrial, commercial, and educational interests of the County.
The Franklin County Fairgrounds is located at 4100 Columbus Street, Hilliard, OH 43026. For more information about the Franklin County Agricultural Society and the Franklin County Fairgrounds visit them online at fcfair.org.
ABOUT MUSIC LOVES OHIO
Music Loves Ohio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for Central Ohio youth to pursue their passion for music. Their financial assistance is focused on music education classrooms (public schools, private schools, and after school programs) and providing instruments to financially underserved students in Central Ohio.
For more information about Music Loves Ohio, visit them online at musiclovesohio.org.
ABOUT RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CENTRAL OHIO
For more than three decades, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio (RMHC) has been keeping families close at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. From its beginnings as a grassroots movement established by a partnership between volunteers and local McDonald’s Owner/Operators, the charity has served thousands of families in their deepest times of need.
For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, visit them online at rmhc-centralohio.org.
ABOUT DESTINATION HILLIARD/HILLIARD OHIO
Hilliard, Ohio is a thriving community of more than 33,000 residents. Residents and corporate citizens enjoy dependable city and safety services, a highly rated public-school system, scenic parks and trails, terrific recreational programs and a variety of safe and attractive neighborhoods. Situated just west of the Scioto River along I-270, Hilliard is only a 15 to 20-minute commute to downtown Columbus. With roots that began as a village built in 1869 around the railroad station, Hilliard has grown into a city full of local pride and history.
For more information about Hilliard, Ohio, activities, accommodations, and attractions, please visit them online at destinationhilliard.com.
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