I’ve given you some teasers and reminders in previous columns, but, now, this is it—the whole story about this year’s Third Annual Food Truck Festival on the Ave. So, get your taste buds primed, come early and hungry, stay late, and, in between, have a super time!

This sizzling mega-event will take place, rain or shine, on Sunday, August 25, from 11 to 7 p.m., at the mini-parks at Landis Avenue and the Boulevard. Admission is free. The major sponsor is Members 1st of NJ Federal Credit Union. You’ll be able to choose from over 20 food trucks. There’ll also be a stupendous beer and wine tent, and a packed line-up of continuous entertainment and activities to keep you there, highlighted again this year by popular request by singing sensation Dawson Coyle of “The Voice.”

The food trucks cover every time of taste—B-Delish, Beast of the Street, Brilliant Beverages, Butch’s BBQ, Chank’s Pizza Cones, Chimney Cake Factory, Cousins Main Lobster, Dan’s Waffles, Dump-N-Roll, Good Mood=Good Food, House of Cupcakes, Mr. Taco, Nick’s Roast Beef, Pete’s Italian Ice, Pirate Pete’s Soda Pop Co., Stewart’s Root Beer, The Little Sicilian Riceballs, and Top Shelf Mobile Cuisine LLC. All that great food can work up a thirst, so wash it down at a beer and wine tent set up at the festival.

You’ll certainly want to see Dawson perform, but he’ll be only a part of a packed line-up of non-stop entertainment and activities on the Entertainment Stage. It’ll begin with a free yoga class by Peace Love Yoga, and will also include live music by the Funwave Band, KNomad Nation, the Embassy House of Zion Choir, The Originators, Lamera Neta, a talent showcase from the Diamond in the Rough Talent Competition, and more. Additional entertainment will be supplied by the Higbee Heroes Strolling Barber Shop Quartet.

Choose from an array of all-day fun activities, including a dunk tank–to support Bishop Schad Regional School.

We’ll have a Kid’s Corner for the young’uns and those activities will include bounce houses, games, a firefighter obstacle course, and a magic show.

Funding for the Entertainment Stage has been made possible by sponsorship from Newfield National Bank. Lidl is the sponsor again this year of the Kid’s Corner.

The past two years’ Food Truck Festivals proved why the concept is so popular—a wide variety of great food and a festive atmosphere. We’re also so excited about having Dawson back to head up our entertainment package for our festival. He left the crowd cheering last year and his star has been rising steadily since.

Our Food Truck Festivals have blown expectations out of the park, and we’re counting on this year’s event to be bigger and better than ever. We’ve brought over 9,000 people to The Ave each time and we’ve put Vineland on the map for the participating vendors and for food truck fans. We’re building on that success to surpass what we did before. Again—come early, stay late, and enjoy!”

So, you’ll know exactly what’ll be going on when, schedule of events for the Food Truck Festival on The Ave and a list of food trucks follow. For up-to-date information on the festival, visit our website—www.TheAve.biz.

Opening Ceremony
11:00 a.m.: Ribbon-Cutting

Entertainment Stage
11:00 a.m.: Yoga in The Park with Peace Love Yoga
12:00 p.m.: Funwave Band
12:30 p.m.: KNomad Nation
1:00 p.m.: Oldies Music with DJ Zach
1:30 p.m.: to be announced
2:00 p.m.: to be announced
2:30 p.m.: Embassy House of Zion Choir
3:00 p.m.: Diamond in the Rough Talent Competition Showcase
4:30 p.m.: The Originators
5:15 p.m.: Lamera Neta
6:00 p.m. Dawson Coyle, of “The Voice” (until 6:30 p.m.)

Other
2:00-3:00 p.m.: Higbee Heroes: Strolling Barber Shop Quartet

Kid’s Corner
A & M Bounce-A-Lot Bounce Houses (all day)
Games—courtesy of Little Lamb Preschool (all day)
Firefighters Obstacle Course—courtesy of Vineland Fire Department (all day)
Magic Show—courtesy of Simply Silly Magic (2 p.m.)

All Day
Dunk Tank—to support Bishop Schad Regional School
Food Trucks
B-Delish
Beast of the Street
Brilliant Beverages
Butch’s BBQ
Chank’s Pizza Cones
Chimney Cake Factory
Cousins Main Lobster
Dan’s Waffles
Dump-N-Roll
Good Mood=Good Food
House of Cupcakes
Mr. Taco
Nick’s Roast Beef
Pete’s Italian Ice
Pirate Pete’s Soda Pop Co.
Stewart’s Root Beer
The Little Sicilian Riceballs
Top Shelf Mobile Cuisine LLC

* * *

This is all the more reason to make The Ave your destination for your shopping needs, as well as your dining, entertainment—and living—needs all year round. Save money on gasoline, avoid the long lines at the big-box stores, malls, and shopping centers—and also enjoy the events we have on The Ave.

For more information on Main Street Vineland’s events and activities on The Ave, call our office at 856-794-8653, visit our exciting website—www.TheAve.biz—or check us out on Facebook. You can also e-mail me at [email protected].