The event was coordinated by Tonia Fish, the co-founder of Synergy Incubators, a non-profit that provides kitchen space and other services to small caterers, bakeries and other food industry businesses.
She said more than 3,000 people endured long lines in the rain to get food from seven of Dayton’s 20 or so food trucks.
“The crazy outpouring of support for food trucks could not have been forecast,” she said. Fish noted that Urban Night music concerts at Riverscape traditionally draw 300 to 500 people.
The members of the Miami Valley Mobile Food Association will take the lessons learned from the Urban Night rally and apply them to the food truck rally being planned as part of the annual Mix 107.7 Pre-SummerFest Party, she said.
About 10 trucks are expected to participate in the event to be held in conjunction with the June 7 First Friday in the streets near Miami-Jacobs Career College Dayton Campus, 110 North Patterson Blvd. The college is a partner in the event. Participating trucks include, Kona Ice of Dayton, Go Cupcake and the new truck Tik's Thai Express.
This time around, Fish said, the food trucks will have more food and additional staff to expedite and serve. The rally will take place 6 to 10 p.m. or while food lasts on individual trucks.
Fish said the food trucks had little data to help them prepare for the Urban Night rally.
“If it is perfectly sunny they have 500 people for music at Riverscape. This (the food truck rally) was a very first event,” Fish said. “The weather wasn’t fine. They were really, really shooting in the dark.”
Thunderstorms were predicted that rainy night.
Mix 107.7 will give away tickets to concerts in its SummerFest series at the Fraze Pavilion, including the June 15 Sheryl Crow concert commemorating the 10th anniversary of the making of Sheryl Crow's rockin' "C'mon America 2003" DVD.
First Friday is a monthly downtown showcase coordinated by the Downtown Dayton Partnership that encourages area residents to explore the downtown area.
Fish said the food trucks are gearing up for a fun evening. The response to the Urban Night rally illustrated the possibilities. She said it’s about more than just grabbing a hot dog or sandwich from a truck.
“This is what street food does in cities around our nation, she said. “It is a happening.”
Contact this blogger at arobinson@DaytonDailyNews.com or Twitter.com/DDNSmartMouth
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