By Donna Cornelius
If casual dining is your thing, you can’t get much more laid-back than eating at a food truck.
But don’t think you have to settle for plain Jane food at these eateries-on-wheels, particularly the ones that tool around the Birmingham area. The city has food trucks that serve almost everything from hot chicken to cool treats.
PreSchool Partners gives diners the opportunity to choose from a wide menu at its sixth annual Protective Life Food Truck Roundup and Art Show, set for May 6. The event is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Summit in front of Orvis, Swoozie’s and Arhaus.
Molly Parkhurst, PreSchool Partners’ director of development, said the rally’s main goal is to raise awareness and funds for the organization. PreSchool Partners helps prepare 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds for kindergarten and success in school.
“Allene Neighbors, who was the director of development before me, started the event,” Parkhurst said. “It was such a success and a great community event. We wanted to have a fun, family-friendly event so that people could sample from a variety of food vendors.”
She said the food truck rally and art show fundraiser has generated more than $300,000 for PreSchool Partners over the past five years.
“In the past, the event annually has raised about $75,000 to $80,000, so that’s the goal this year,” Parkhurst said.
Last year’s fundraiser drew about 1,200 to 1,300 people, she said, adding that The Summit location draws “a lot of walk-up traffic.”
Admission is $10 for most folks; children ages 3 to 10 get in for $5, and there’s no charge for kids 2 and younger.
Vendors are responsible for selling their own items.
“We used to sell tokens, but as the event has grown, it just got too complicated,” Parkhurst said. “The $10 admission goes directly to supporting our programs for parents and children.”
You can buy tickets at preschool-partners.org or at the gate.
The food truck rally and art show is one of the organization’s two major fundraisers.
“This is our big event in the spring, and we also have our Wigs and Stache Bash in the fall,” Parkhurst said.
The Wig & Stache Bash, set this year for Oct. 12, has silent and live auctions, music, cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Guests are invited to wear wigs, mustaches and other costumes or disguises.
Parkhurst said vendors participating in the food truck rally this year include Bendy’s Cookies & Cream, Big Spoon Creamery, Cantina on Wheels, Dreamland Bar-B-Que, Eugene’s Hot Chicken, Greg’s Hotdogs, Lazy Boy BBQ, Melt Food Truck, Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn Co., Nothing Bundt Cakes, Off the Hook, Recippi’s Italian Ice & Gelato, Shindigs and Steel City Pops.
Artists at the event include Genny Weaver, Lauren Duncan, Wilde Art Co., Madeline Boles, Carlee Arnold, Beth Picard, Jenny McRae Garrett, Amy Stone, Lizzy Yates, Allie Ray Photography and Shannon Hopkins.
The event is held rain or shine and includes kid-friendly entertainment. For more information, visit preschool-partners.org.
