As the threat of rain hung over City Park, nobody seemed to notice. A variety of smells from the line of food trucks and a band’s tuning and sound check filled the air. Hundreds of people set up their blankets on the grass before choosing their favorite truck to order dinner. Every Tuesday evening, the turnout at City Park for the Food Truck Rallies is outstanding, rain or shine.
“I always have a miniature panic attack before the event starts… are people going to come this week?” Sarah Ladley’s worries are unfounded. Ladley has been the organizer of the Fort Collins Food Truck Rallies since she created the event in 2015. A mere seven years ago, food trucks were not exactly popular in Fort Collins. After opening her truck Ba-nom-a-nom in 2012, Ladley quickly realized there weren’t many places for trucks to set up. While driving to Denver to set up in the city or attend Civic Center Eats was fine, she eventually had an idea: “Something like this needs to happen in Fort Collins.”
Along with the few other food trucks in Fort Collins, Ladley set up some small food truck rallies at the now-closed Pateros Creek Brewery. After seeing how much business they generated, she knew they needed to expand. The next year, she hosted the first real food truck rallies every other week until they eventually moved to City Park and began holding rallies every week in the summer.
After taking a break in 2020, the rallies started back up in full swing in 2021 and continue to grow in 2022. Every Tuesday evening, a selection of food trucks line up at City Park to engage in the summer festivities. No matter which trucks are in the lineup each week, there is a guarantee there’s something there for everyone. The lines aren’t bad at all and nobody seems bothered by any wait, perhaps too busy admiring the evening light reflecting off of Sheldon Lake.
A crowd-favorite and veteran vendor is Waffle Lab. Brad Roumaya bought the restaurant and subsequently the food truck in 2020 and has taken the truck to the rallies every year since. Waffle Lab’s truck was busy the entire night, and Roumaya was clearly more than happy to be there. “I thank Sarah every chance I get,” he said. The food truck is his favorite part of Waffle Lab.
Food isn’t the only thing to enjoy at the food truck rallies, though. On the hill across from the line of trucks, rally goers get to enjoy a different band every week. As the live music fills the air, some sit in the grass and enjoy their recently-acquired treats while some even get up and dance.
The Fort Collins food truck rallies are a perfect way to wind down during some of the busiest weeks of the year. They’re held in City Park every Tuesday evening through September, so there’s ample opportunity to head over and enjoy some music, food, and our wonderful Fort Collins community!
