There are summer road trips built around scenery, others around history, and then there are the ones where the destination is determined by what you want for lunch. For two days in August, an easy trip down SR61, I71, and I270 will offer plenty of reasons to make the latter kind of trip.
The Columbus Food Truck Festival returns to the Franklin County Fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday, August 14 and 15, bringing more than 45 food trucks together with live music, shopping, games, and a new Saturday Kids Zone. Organizers expect more than 25,000 people over the course of the weekend.
Now in its 15th year, the festival has grown from its beginnings at Columbus Commons in 2011. After a move to the Scioto Mile and a pause in 2020, it landed at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in 2021.
Come Hungry
The central attraction remains the food, of course. Dozens of trucks from across the region will turn the fairgrounds into what amounts to a sprawling, walkable menu, with visitors able to move from truck to truck and cuisine to cuisine throughout the day.
The festival website includes a searchable listing of participating trucks, allowing visitors to scout possibilities before they arrive.
See the participating food trucks
Food is purchased separately from admission, directly from individual vendors. Trucks and other individual vendors accept cash or credit, while festival bars and beverage stations are cashless.
A Festival With A Soundtrack
The weekend is also built around live music, culminating Saturday night with DJ Logic with Robert Randolph and Friends at 7:45 PM on the Main Stage. The collaboration brings together DJ Logic’s mix of hip-hop, jazz, funk, and jam-band influences with Grammy Award-winning musician Robert Randolph’s pedal-steel-driven blend of rock, funk, soul, and gospel.
Friday’s featured act is Columbus alternative trio A Band Called Dreamland at 8:00 PM, while Saturday’s schedule also includes Grateful Dead tribute act Friends of the Dead at 5:15 PM.
Something New For Families
Saturday brings a new addition designed specifically for younger festival-goers. The Kids Zone will feature interactive activities, games, and kid-focused entertainment, while other areas of the festival will offer contests, demonstrations, and hands-on activities throughout the grounds.
Children 10 and younger are admitted free with a paid adult ticket, according to the festival’s current ticket information.
Friday will have another special attraction. Columbus media personality and Love Is Blind season 10 cast member Jordan Faeth is scheduled to appear from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Food Is Only Part Of The Browsing
Visitors who need a break between meals can wander through another side of the festival: its collection of local makers, artisans, and retailers. Festival organizers describe the shopping area as a mix of locally made goods and festival finds, providing another reason to roam the grounds rather than simply choose a truck, eat, and head home.
See what will be available to shop
A Cooler Way To Spend The Day
For visitors looking for a retreat from an August afternoon, the Waterbird VIP Lounge offers an air-conditioned indoor space with a private bar, complimentary water and Pepsi products, sample-size selections from participating food trucks, Graeter’s Ice Cream, private restrooms, and music from DJ Matty Sexton. VIP hours run from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM Friday and from noon to 9:00 PM Saturday.
Planning The Road Trip
The Columbus Food Truck Festival runs from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM on Friday, August 14, and from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Saturday, August 15. The festival website lists the Franklin County Fairgrounds festival entrance at 5024 Northwest Parkway in Hilliard. Limited complimentary onsite parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with additional street parking in the surrounding area.
Advance admission is currently $5 through August 9, rising to $10 beginning August 10. Saturday admission after 4:00 PM is $15 for the evening featuring DJ Logic with Robert Randolph and Friends.
For a mid-August summer road trip, the formula is fairly simple: arrive hungry, leave room for something you did not plan to order, and remember that choosing one food truck does not mean you cannot visit another.
Photo: Creative Commons License