HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – Fountain Circle in front of Huntsville City Hall may become a regular location for future downtown food truck rallies.

At its meeting last week, the City Council voted to add that area to the 96-acre Quigley Arts and Entertainment District. People can now stroll Fountain Circle with a beer or mixed drink at designated times. The first public event there is the May downtown street food gathering, scheduled for 6-9 p.m. this Friday. Admission is free.

Downtown Huntsville Inc. CEO Chad Emerson said the organization worked with city officials to find a larger food truck rally location after an April street eats event at A.M. Booth's Lumberyard drew 7,500 people.

Fountain Circle is "ideally situated" to host large events because it borders Big Spring International Park and the Courthouse Square, he said. There are also two city parking garages nearby.

"This is a really strong location for public events, so it made sense to extend the arts and entertainment district," Emerson told AL.com Monday. The food truck rally "can be a complimentary piece to a great evening, because there are a lot of other things to do in this immediate vicinity."

City Hall itself and the splash fountain behind EarlyWorks Children's History Museum remain outside the entertainment district.

Emerson said at least 22 mobile vendors are signed up for Friday's event, which should mean quicker service. Some people at the April street food gathering encountered hour-long lines.

"We've met with some of the more popular food trucks and discussed ideas about how to expedite service without sacrificing quality," said Emerson. "We're trying to do everything we can to meet demand and create a pleasant experience."

Here's a list of food vendors for Friday night:

Belle Chevre; Bigfoot's Little Donuts; Crave Heat; Dale's BBQ; Dallas Mill Deli; Earth & Stone Wood Fired Pizza; Earth & Stone Food Truck; Food Fighters; Highbrow Cold Brew Coffee; I Love Bacon; Ice Works; Lake Guntersville Ice Cream Shop; Mason-Dixon Bakery; Meaux's Sno Balls; Neon Lilly; On-On Tacos; Peppered Pig; Pigtime BBQ (WhistleStop 2014 Grand Champion); Piper & Leaf; Rollin Lobstah; Rocket City Espresso; Rocket Dogs; Sugar Belle; The Food Truck.

Part of Fountain Circle will be blocked off for Friday's event, which is being billed as the "Battle of the Food Trucks." The vendor that sells the most food during the course of the evening will win "bragging rights" for the year as well as a small award, said Emerson.