Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival returns next weekend
The Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival will be returning next weekend after the event was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Holly Tonini/For the Observer-Reporter
Karen Less of Lower Burrell holds up her wiener dog Emma as she is announced the second-place winner at the food truck festival in 2018.
A file photo of The Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival, sponsored by the Observer-Reporter at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows
It’s back! The popular Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival will be returning next weekend to The Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be hosting the Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival again this year,” said Carole DeAngelo, advertising director of the Observer-Reporter, co-sponsor of the event with the casino. “What (the community) said was, ‘We want this event back again.'”
The event will be held July 16 to 18 at the entertainment venue off Racetrack Road in North Strabane Township.
The festival skipped last year because of COVID-19, and it was planned with the pandemic front of mind to ensure it was safe. That includes the date, as the event was moved from its usual Memorial Day weekend spot to July.
“We met with The Meadows numerous times to identify what we felt was going to be a safe date so we could follow CDC guidelines and protocols,” DeAngelo said.
The delay worked in the festival’s favor, as Pennsylvania lifted all coronavirus-related restrictions at the end of May.
This year’s event also marks the five-year anniversary of the food truck festival. With that marker, and the reemergence of large public gatherings after a year of isolation and business closures, DeAngelo recognizes that the festival takes on special significance.
“It symbolizes how strong our community is. How exciting it is that our community in Washington County is a draw for everyone in the region,” DeAngelo said. “The food truck festival is the biggest food truck festival in our region. I feel like the community can’t wait to have everyone back together again.”
The festival will be smaller than usual – rather than having around 50 food trucks, there will be 31. DeAngelo said “it was no easy feat” to get that many food trucks involved.
It was a difficult year for restaurant owners, especially those who operate food trucks. Some of the vendors who participated in the festival in the past are no longer operating.
“What I have come to realize is, we all as a community have to support our local businesses as much as we can, because they’re struggling,” DeAngelo said.
The Greater Pittsburgh Food Truck Festival will open at 5 p.m. Friday with Family Fun Night. It will feature activities for kids, and wiener dog races on the horse track.
“It’s a sight to behold,” DeAngelo said.
The festival will continue through the weekend with musical performances. According to DeAngelo, there will be a variety of food trucks, with some familiar staples like pierogis and Patti’s Pastries, as well as some new attractions. Craft beer and wine, along with regional artisans and vendors, will be available.
The festival will start at noon Saturday, and 11 a.m. Sunday. Admission is free.
Though it was difficult to pull together, DeAngelo says organizers were determined to make the festival happen.
“There was absolutely no feeling of ‘We can’t,'” she said. “No one said we can’t do this.”