Columbus Food Truck Festival will return to Hilliard in August
Central Ohio foodies should mark their calendars for the 2022 Columbus Food Truck Festival, which will return to Hilliard for the second year.
“We are excited to continue the Columbus Food Truck Festival and to provide it again for our loyal fan base,” said Mike Gallicchio, cofounder of the festival.
The festival is scheduled Aug. 19-21 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds, 4100 Columbia St. in Hilliard.
The festival was held at the fairgrounds for the first time last August.
Previous story: Fairgrounds served Columbus Food Truck Festival well, organizers say
“We had a great year last year; it exceeded our expectations," Gallicchio said. "We were really happy with how it turned out and are thrilled to be back (in Hilliard)."
Gallicchio and Chas Kaplan are owners of MGCK Food and the presenters of the Columbus Food Truck Festival, which first was held in 2011.
This year, it will be a three-day festival; last year’s festival and those in the recent past have been two-day festivals, Gallicchio said.
The additional day was added because of high ticket demand last year, he said.
It also is the organization's only festival planned in 2022, according to Gallicchio.
The festival was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
The inaugural festival was at Columbus Commons in downtown Columbus. In 2018, it was relocated to the Scioto Mile, adjacent to Genoa Park.
Many details are yet to be finalized, including a live music lineup, but the festival will include two stages for live music and an arts-and-craft section, Gallicchio said.
Fifty to 65 vendors are expected to sign up, he said. Among them is Island Noodles, which has been a festival mainstay since 2012.
Owner Brad Esposite said he makes sure he finds a spot on his calendar for the Columbus Food Truck Festival every year.
Based in Hilliard and in Tampa, Florida, Esposite describes his fare as Hawaiian-style soba noodle salads, typically vegan but also made with poultry.
“There was a lot we didn’t know when we moved out of downtown (Columbus), but I was happy with how it turned out in Hilliard," he said. "People from all over (central Ohio) came just the same."
City Manager Michelle Crandall said she is pleased the festival is returning to Hilliard.
“(Last year’s Columbus) Food Truck Festival at the fairgrounds was a big success," she said. "It brought many people to this community, not only for the event itself, but to explore our downtown area, our historic village and the rest of the city. We (are) excited (it is) returning to Hilliard this summer."
David Ball, director of communications for Hilliard and acting marketing manager for Destination Hilliard, said visitors “bring more than just their appetites” to the event, with some choosing to stay in hotels and visit other businesses in the city.
The festival is scheduled from 4 to 11 p.m. Aug. 19, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Aug. 20 and noon to 7 p.m. Aug. 21.
Single-day tickets and weekend passes are on sale at columbusfoodtruckfest.com.
Single-day tickets are $5 and may be purchased online or at the event.
A weekend pass, good for admission on any or all of the three days, is $10 but may be purchased only in advance online.
Children ages 12 and under will be admitted free if accompanied by an adult.
Limited free parking will be available at the fairgrounds, and on-street parking will be available in the vicinity of the venue.
A portion of the proceeds from the festival benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio and Music Loves Ohio.
The festival has raised more than $75,000 for local charities since it was founded.
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Columbus Food Truck Festival will return to Hilliard from Aug. 19-21
