Food festivals are using gourmet food trucks as their featured headliners.

Communities across the country may have found another revenue generating operation that could provide a much desired service for their citizens, a boost to their local economy and help to small businesses in the food truck industry. One such event took place in Southern California this weekend.

On Saturday, October 16th in Valencia, California, 22 food trucks swooped into the Bridgeport Marketplace at McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch Road to provide the local area with a taste of the food truck frenzy that is sweeping the nation. The Awesometown Gourmet Food Truck Festival was the brainchild of Cluster Truck Events, a Southern California based, event planning company, and self-proclaimed professional “truck wranglers.”

Vendors from the Greater Los Angeles area offered menus that varied from sliders, fried chicken, beef tacos and cupcakes. The food trucks who participated with authentic and innovative cuisine were:

Ahn Joo Truck, Bool BBQ, Border Grill, Comfort Truck, Del’s Lemonade, Dim Sum Truck, Dosa Truck, Fish Lips, Fresh Fries, Fry Smith, Great Balls on Tires, Krazy BBQ, Lake Street Creamery, Lee’s Philly Gogi, Ludo’s Truck, Munchie Machine, My Kabob Express, Newhall Coffee Roasting Company, Sprinkles, Tapa Boy, Sweets Truck and Vesuvio.

Originally thought to draw nearly 3,000 visitors; within the first hour of the four hour event, more than 8,000 guests had found their way to the site. The event was sponsored by Newhall Land Development LLC. Marlee Lauffer, Newhall Land spokeswoman, said the turnout showed how much excitement there was for the gourmet food truck trend, which has brought food trucks to business centers around the Santa Clarita Valley. With the large turnout, there were some issues with overcrowding and long lines, however many of the hungry mobile gourmands viewed the long lines the same way that thrill chasers who stand in line to take part of their favorite rides at Disneyland or Magic Mountain do.

“I’m sorry there were lines,” Lauffer said. “This just shows how much people out here love doing things together.”