On Father’s Day I met Terry and Amanda at the Food Truck Bazaar. The event took place at the Fashion Square Mall (East Colonial Drive and Maguire). I couldn’t find the event at first so I drove aimlessly through the Mall parking lot circling around the Mall as best I could. Anytime I am near a mall I feel like I am out of my element. I finally spotted a tent and then the trucks.
I sat in the shade of a tree and got to work. It was blisteringly hot. The Winter Park Fish Company truck was elaborately decorated so that became my focus. Mark Baratelli who organized the event came over to say hello. He was a bit nervous that attendance might be down. He suggested I sketch a few more people. The trucks were lined up on opposite sides of the parking lot. In the center of the lot Ford was offering test drives in a program called “Drive with Purpose.” Mark explained that they were giving away $8 vouchers good for any food truck if you took a test drive.
An RV full of friends and children drove from Coco Beach to experience the Bazaar. People sat in lawn chairs and folding tables they had carted from home. One family had their own tent set up in the parking lot. They kept angling the size of the four legs as the sun dipped lower toward the horizon. A large group of bikers sucked down water and calories.
Mark went back to a table where he was selling water. He must have been coaching his volunteers on how to best sell water because he started doing a hilarious jig and he tossed a water bottle in the air like a baton. He missed and the water crashed to the pavement. Terry and Amanda arrived and I finished up my sketch. We ordered several Salvadorian meat filled pupusas. Then we tried several fish tacos from the Winter Park Fish Company truck as well as a delicious Tuna kabob. Baxter, Amanda’s dog was a nervous wreck. His tail was curled under between his hind legs and he wasn’t happy unless he sat in her lap like a cat.
Just as I finished my fish taco it began to rain. We all dashed to our cars for cover.
If you want to catch a Food Truck Bazaar, here are future dates…
June 26 | 6-10pm | Parliament House
JULY
July 10 | 6-10pm | Oviedo Mall
July 17 | 6-10pm | Fashion Square Mall
July 24 | 6-10pm | Parliament House
AUGUST
Aug 14 | 6-10pm | Oviedo Mall
Aug 21 | 6-10pm | Fashion Square Mall
Aug 28 | 6-10pm | Parliament House