If there’s one hot trend in the culinary scene right now, it’s mobile dining. Food carts and food trucks have exploded all over Columbus over the past two years, and this Friday they will be celebrated in style. Over 20 local mobile food vendors will be parked Downtown at Columbus Commons starting at 4pm for the Columbus Food Truck & Cart Festival.

“I came up with the idea after seeing other Food Cart Festivals around the country, especially the San Francisco Food Cart Festival,” said Mike Gallichio, Owner of The CGS Group. “I thought that Columbus needed one too, so I brought the idea to Wolf Starr of The Small Business Beanstalk and we approached the folks at Columbus Commons.”

“These food carts are great local brands and we are proud to help show them off,” added Wolf Starr of The SBB. “The trucks contribute variety and diversity to the culinary scene that compliments our great brick and mortar restaurants well.”

In addition to mobile dining, the event will include on-site beer sales, live music, games for kids and families, local merchant booth and more. A canned food drive will also take place to benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

Want to open your own food truck or food cart? Check out this How To Guide from The Metropreneur!

“Our goal is simple,” explained Gallichio. “We want to bring a whole bunch of Food Carts and Trucks together in one spot and have some fun.”

“Columbus is becoming a ‘foodie’ city and we wanted to tap into that,” he added.

Food vendors include Mojo TaGo, Pattycake Bakery, Leslie’s Creperie, 3 babes and a Baker, Junior’s Tacos and more. To view the full list of carts and trucks, CLICK HERE.

“Food cart operators stand to benefit from this event in two ways,” said Chas Kaplan, event organizer and planner for the Food Truck and Cart Festival. “One benefit is being a part of our marketing umbrella which has a reach all over Central Ohio. The second benefit is monetary, as the vendors will sell their products at this event while making a Columbus a cooler city.”

The live music lineup includes Maza Blaska, Bicentennial Bear, B. Yonest, The Forties and Six Panel Driver.

“We definitely want to do this again next year,” added Gallichio. “We’re already working on those plans right now!”

Admission is free, and a portion of the proceeds from the event will go to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

More information can be found via Facebook HERE and HERE.