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Food truck fest rolls into Coquitlam Town Centre Park

The feast is on Saturday, east of Lafarge Lake, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
food trucks
The first food truck fest in Coquitlam was at Spirit Square.

About three years ago, Laine Ogilvie saw a demand.

The food truck business was gaining in popularly across Metro Vancouver for its cheap and trendy grub but, in some municipalities around the Fraser Valley, there was no way for the owners to set up shop on the side of the street.

She heard the complaints from her sister, too, who also owned a food truck with her husband.

An events planner, Ogilvie decided to form a company called Memory Laine Events to bring food truck fare to new heights.

She created the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival, which on Saturday, will roll about two dozen trucks into Coquitlam Town Centre Park for its second annual stop in the city (last year’s event was held at Spirit Square, across from city hall).

Coquitlam is one of nine locations for Ogilvie’s 2018 fest, having started in April in Port Moody; after Coquitlam, it moves to the city Langley on June 2 before pushing off to Vancouver on June 3, Fort Langley on Sept. 8, back to Vancouver on Sept. 16 and Maple Ridge — where Ogilvie calls home — on Sept. 22.

Ogilvie said she picked the food trucks for the festival based on their cuisine. “I wanted diversity — no duplicates,” she said, noting only owners with Food Safe certification and proper fire inspections were considered.

And among those serving up on Saturday will be: Reel Mac & Cheese, The Reef Runner, Mandalay Bay Burmese, Big Red’s Poutine, Dim Sum Express, Tacofino, Feastro, Cannolli King, Slavic Rolls, Rocky Point Ice Cream, G’s Donairs, Mo Bacon and Lenny’s Lemonade.

In addition, Ogilvie said she wanted to place an emphasis on family fun for her fest. Besides the eats, guests can shop at an artisan market selling homemade wares, and two bands — Freedom 55 and Angus Drive — will entertain; there will also be kids’ activities and, for the little ones, Paw Patrol characters making an appearance at 3 p.m.

Many of the food trucks take credit cards, she said; however, an ATM will be on site for guests in need of cash.

Otherwise, admission is free.

“It’s a great way to spend the day with the family and fill your bellies,” Ogilvie said.

• The Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Coquitlam Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way), on the east side of Lafarge Lake. Visit fvfoodtruckfestival.com