RAPID CITY, S.D. — The inaugural Black Hills Food Truck Fest rolled into Rapid City on Saturday, drawing crowds eager to sample a diverse array of mobile cuisine. The event was held at Black Hills Harley-Davidson and serves as a a testament to the exploding popularity of the local food truck scene.
The event was originally scheduled for May 24th, but due to some dreary weather, was postponed to wait for more sunshine. The festival served as the kickoff to the ninth season of Family Food Truck Night, which started this last Tuesday.
“From 5 food trucks to now we have this 34 food truck person event, it’s grown so much in the past 9 years and we can’t be more thankful,” said Jesse Lee, owner of Black Hills Event Company as well as popular food truck The Good Stuffed. Lee commented on how Family Food Truck Night has inspired many people to start their own food trucks. He shared some tips with NewsCenter1 on how to get started.
“If you’re going to try to get into an event like this, you’re not going to get into it doing the same old thing,” said Lee, “if you have a different unique flavor type of style that you’re going to do, you might have a better chance at getting into something like this.”
The festival ran from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Attendees had the opportunity to try $5 sample menus from over 30 participating food trucks, allowing them to taste a variety of offerings without committing to a full meal. A unique feature of the event was its generator-free setup, with all vendors utilizing plug-in power, eliminating the usual noise food truck night often experiences.
The band Flannel was scheduled for an evening concert. The stage itself was supplied by the team behind the popular Rapid City Summer Nights series. Organizers hope that continued cooperation between event planning agencies with further development in providing summer fun for local families and attracting visitors from across the Black Hills.
“It’s always fun to see how many people come to these sort of things and how many conversations you get to strike up in line when you’re both waiting for something new to try,” said Rory Lindbergh, a resident of Hot Springs.
The Black Hills Food Truck Fest already has plans to return for next year. Family Food Truck Night takes place every Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Canyon Lake Park and is scheduled to run through the fourth week of September.
Per grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from South Dakota Mines. He found his passion for weather reporting by the impact it has on the community, both in how people work and how it brings people together through severe weather preparation. He also has a passion for preventing health issues with Air Quality Index awareness. Per can be found enjoying outdoor activities in the Black Hills when the weather allows.
