Food Truck Wars return in celebration of local culinary street food
Attendees can feast on 35 food truck offerings from April 11 to 13 at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds
Corn dogs, mac and cheese, and ice cream are among the various foods that will be sold at this year's Food Truck Wars. (Submitted/Suneet Gill)
The Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival’s Food Truck Wars will return from April 11 to 13 for its fourth celebration at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds in Surrey.
There will be 35 food trucks, a local craft beer garden, an artisan marketplace, and live entertainment.
There are six new food trucks this year: Churros Loco, Just Jerkin’ Around, Frying Pan, Gary’s Kettle Corn, Ogopogo Mac & Cheese, and Zerellis Sandwich Shop.
“Many of the trucks are serving exclusive dishes specifically for the competition, so visitors will experience flavours they can’t find anywhere else,” Rachel Keith, marketing director for the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival, wrote in an email statement to The Runner.
The food trucks at the event can compete for eight titles: Best in Show, Best Meat Sweats, Best Sweet Treat, Best Plant Based, Best Between Buns, Best International/Fusion, People’s Choice, and New Food Champion, which is a new award this year.
“While this year will feature a lot of returning favourites, our new creative food award will inspire some one-of-a-kind dishes that attendees won’t find anywhere else,” Keith wrote.
Also new to this year’s festival is a hot dog eating contest, which will take place on April 12 at 2:00 pm. Participants will race to eat the most hot dogs within a set time limit, the Surrey Now-Leader reported. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize.
Food Truck Wars aim to celebrate culinary street food diversity and entrepreneurial spirit in the Lower Mainland while also providing a platform for small businesses.
“It’s part of our broader mission to nurture local food culture and create memorable community experiences,” Keith wrote.
The event draws in thousands of visitors annually to support local businesses.
“From the food trucks and local market vendors, to local event staff and our generous sponsors, Food Truck Wars is a local event that supports local through and through,” Keith wrote, adding the festival also creates a space for people to gather, share food, and foster connections.
The Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival hopes that attendees gain a deeper appreciation for the Lower Mainland’s culinary culture.
“We want people to discover new favourite vendors and meet passionate entrepreneurs behind small businesses in our artisan market to grow a stronger connection to their community,” Keith wrote.
“Food has an incredible power to bring people together, and we hope everyone leaves feeling that sense of connection.”
For the past two years, Food Truck Wars was held at Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Langley campus. Keith wrote that moving this year’s event to the Cloverdale Fairgrounds was necessary due to the City of Langley’s rising costs.
“It made continuing at the previous location financially challenging for an event of this scale,” Keith wrote, adding that all of the organization’s events are free or by donation to support local charity partners.
“Since we try to keep our events as accessible as possible … we experienced a lack of support with the infrastructure and systems for external events within Langley City.”
To learn more about Food Truck Wars, visit www.greatervanfoodtruckfest.com.
