LOCAL

Destin Food Truck fest serves up fun, food and music at Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village

Tina Harbuck
The Destin Log

They came, they ate, they had fun.

About 3,000 people ventured out Sunday to the Destin Food Truck Festival at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village off Commons Drive. 

“I think it went great,” said Christie Sachse of Orange Beach Breeze, the event's organizer. 

“Everybody had fun … had a great time,” Sachse said. 

The event boasted 20 food trucks that served up everything from barbecue, Greek food, gourmet waffles, lumpia, Poke to shaved ice and cotton candy. 

“People were here when we opened up,” Sachse said.  

Anderson and Fisher Morrison of Destin were all smiles after they got their sno-cones at the Destin Food Truck Festival on Sunday.

The event opened at 11 a.m. and went until 8 p.m. Festival-goers were issued arm bands so they could come and go throughout the day. And with a bit of rain about mid-day, that worked out well. although Sachse said several people stayed during the rain. 

“We came early but left when it started raining,” said Aaron Chamblee of Virginia, who is in the area visiting family. 

“But I’m glad we came back,” he said as he took another bite of his barbecue nachos.  

Aaron Chamblee of Virginia said he was glad he came back after the brief rain on Sunday. He was enjoying his barbecue nachos from one of the food trucks.

"It's been great so far," said Michael Ledford of the My O’Hana food truck, who noted that people were loving the food as well as his display of Funko Pops on his truck. 

“So far, so good. Hopefully it’s going to pick up some,” said Hans Jamalis of the Bapus food truck.   

Desiree and Travis Grover of Destin gave the barbecue and the O'Hana truck a try during the Destin Food Truck Festival on Sunday.

And by end of day, it had. Sachse said people were still arriving at 7:45 p.m. 

Some people just sat and listened to the bands. 

Hans Jamali of the Bapus food truck adds a bit of sauce to his wrap. Waiting on her order was Kelsie Kennedy who is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base. "I like it. ... It's awesome," Kennedy said of Sunday's Destin Food Truck Festival. About 20 trucks participated at the event.

It was a first for the Food Truck Festival to travel into Destin. Up next is a Food Truck Festival on Panama City Beach on Aug. 29 at Aaron Bessant Park next to Pier Park.