The light of the day faded leaving the swell of afternoon heat dribbling sweat down our backs.
Ladies in sundresses and men in their ball caps wandered through the farmer’s market in Vinton selecting from the eight food trucks present for the SWVA Food Truck Festival, including Mountain Grille, Rock and Roll Diner, Brady’s BBQ, Brother Jack’s Brick Oven Creations, Grandpa Ike’s Mini Donuts and two coffee and tea trucks.
No outdoor, summer event is complete without the funnel cake, piled high with melting powdered sugar, along with a scoop of cold ice cream.
Music from the stage reverberated off surrounding walls as we sat on the curb to eat our burgers and fries, having forgotten our lawn chairs. Vegetables from the farmer’s market sat next to flowers being sold and ready to be made into summer soup.
The band, Seven Mile Ford, played a mixture of old rock hits, country and, surprisingly, Usher. A lone, brave man danced unabashedly in front of the stage, clapping and swaying to the music.
Children enjoyed playing games beside the stage, including a large “Connect Four” set and cornhole.
Stacey McClelland with Feeding America Southwest Virginia exited the Café to Grow for more supplies as we walked by. Café to Grow, a food truck by Feeding America, travels to after school programs during the school year, serving food to the kids. In the summer, Café to Grow visits lower income areas, such as housing projects to provide food.
“Some kids have told me this is the only meal they get during the summer,” McClelland says.
Café to Grow abides by USDA guidelines for proper nutrition for the meals they serve children. The truck is equipped to keep food at the correct temperatures and safe for consumption.
“Feeding America Southwest Virginia has served the 26 counties and associated municipalities that make up Southwest Virginia for three decades,” says Big Lick Entertainment. “As the leader in hunger relief in this region, Feeding America Southwest Virginia distributes more than 20 million pounds of food annually to nearly 400 partner agency soup kitchens, rescue missions and food pantries.”
Hosted by Feeding America Southwest Virginia and Big Lick Entertainment on Friday, July 19, the SWVA Food Truck Festival at the Vinton Farmer’s Market will donate all proceeds to benefit to Feeding America Southwest Virginia.
About the Writer:
Jennifer F. Riales is a Roanoke-based freelance writer and blogger. She and her husband, both originating from Memphis, TN, enjoy visiting local coffeehouses, going on walks with their dog and cuddling with their two cats.
