SYRACUSE, N.Y (NCC NEWS) — The Food Truck Association is preparing to offer food lovers a new food fest alternative to the New York State Fair. Carvel Dewitt owner and Food Truck Association board member, Jay Cartini, said the event will be the first of its kind here in Syracuse.
“For years no one ever did anything while the fair was going on because nobody wanted to go heads up with the fair. Well guess what, we’re putting our hand up in the air and saying ‘we’ll take them on, we’ll see what happens,’” Cartini said.
Set to kick off in September, the fair alternative will not only have eats from independent food trucks but a family oriented atmosphere as well, Cartini said.
“It’ll be a 15-to-20,000 person event. There will be 40-plus trucks there and live entertainment throughout the day, kids activities, craft shows,” Cartini said. “So it’s going to be a big one. It’ll be the largest food truck gathering in Syracuse, ever.”
Hosting large events is no new thing for Cartini and the Food Truck Association. The association has become a networking hub and source for business expansion to food truck owners for years. This summer’s SYR Food Truck Takeover in mall parking lots is one such example.
“As a business owner, it gives you the opportunity to obviously make money. For the community, it gives them the opportunity to experience food that they might not have otherwise.” Cartini said.
Cartini said many of the businesses that do have a brick and mortar location appreciate the takeover because it allows them to bring their business to new places via the food truck. For food-truck only operations, the event serves as a one and only time and location for customers that often heightens the demand.
