Penn Township brings back summer food truck series for 2nd year

A summer food truck series launched last year in Penn Township is returning for a second season.

The series — which kicked off last week — features a variety of food trucks, games for children and a new band each night. It takes place across five Friday nights from May to August.

The township recreation board started the series last year to offer a family-friendly community gathering, said board member Mickey Ramien.

“It was more of actually doing something for families here at the park to show off our Municipal Park, the amenities and just to have a nice, comfortable evening out,” Ramien said.

Each event starts at 6 p.m. and runs until 9:30 p.m., with live music from 7 to 9 p.m. Instructors from the Penn-Trafford Area Recreation Commission run the children’s games — such as dodgeball, kickball and wiffle ball, Ramien said.

“The kids can come out and play or go fishing, and the adults can enjoy the music while it’s still adult supervised,” he said.

Recreation board Chair Lisa Zaucha is excited the event was successful enough to warrant a second year. About 200 to 250 people came out to each event last year, she estimated.

“I would like to double that this year,” she said.

Nearly half of the funding for the food truck series was donated by the committee for the fall festival, which will enter its 18th year in September.

Zaucha enjoys seeing community members come out for the event.

“That’s what we see, is families and people coming together to participate in this event,” she said. “And I personally have seen lots of people from the community I don’t get to see everyday.”

Future food truck events are scheduled for June 28, July 12, July 26 and Aug. 9. The recreation board has no plans to discontinue the event anytime soon, Ramien said.

“As long as it keeps going and everything, we will continue to do this,” he said.