Countdown to Saturday: 3 things to know about SC Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival
No. 1: Know before you go
When/where: Noon-7 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at the S.C. State Fairgrounds in Columbia
Parking: $5 a car. Gates open at 10 a.m. for VIP ticket holders; enter the fairgrounds at Gates 6 and 10. S.C. Highway Patrol will be directing traffic and patrolling the fairgrounds.
Ticket options: Purchase in advance at eventbrite.com:
▪ FOX 102.3 VIP Hour, allows early entry at 11 a.m., unlimited complimentary bottled water and free dessert; $20 in advance, $25 at gate
▪ General admission, $5 in advance, $10 at gate
▪ Unlimited Beer Sampling (3-7 p.m.) for ages 21 and older, provides unlimited 2-ounce samples of all craft beers as well as admission to the Food Truck Festival.
No. 2: It’s not your average food and drink fare
LaBoo’s Finest Turkey Wangzz: Columbia-based food truck specializes in deep-fried turkey wings and all things turkey. Try the turkey dogs with turkey chili and wash it all down with Mudd, LaBoo’s special drink. Oh yeah, and the wangzz!
Low Country Lobster: This operation from Bluffton prepares buttery lobster in amazing ways. Try the lobster rolls, lobster nachos and/or the lobster mac-n-cheese.
The Moroccan Cookbook: Rock Hill-based vendor serves authentic Moroccan and Mediterranean food. Try the chicken bastilla, a triple layer of sweet and savory pastry with shredded chicken, eggs, lemony onion sauce and sweetened almonds enclosed in tissue-thin pastry and sprinkled with a layer of sugar and cinnamon.
Best Damn Brewing Co.: This vendor is from St. Louis, Missouri. Try the Cherry Cola that combines caramel and cola notes with a cherry finish. The brew is aged on whole cherries after brewing, 5.5 percent alcohol by volume.
Palmetto Brewery: This vendor is out of Charleston. The Palmetto Amber Ale pairs well with a range of dishes, from barbecue to cheese-filled delights. A mid- to light-bodied ale with subtle toasted malt notes and a dry, crisp hoppy finish. 5.4% alcohol by volume.
Bring lawn chairs and blankets, there is a small food court area with picnic tables
No. 3: Eat, drink and be charitable
In addition to live music, face painting and fun for the entire family, the festival is partnering with Harvest Hope Food Bank and attendees are asked to bring canned food donations.
Also...
PARTICIPATING FOOD TRUCKS
1. 2 Fat 2 Fly: You know ‘em, you love ‘em. Stuffed chicken wings
2. A Matter of Taste: BBQ, Corndogs, and wings
4. Carol and Lorraine’s Grill on Wheels: Grilled treats from fish to hot dogs
5. Casey’s Big Dawg BBQ Barkmobile: Barbecue, tacos, sandwiches and more
6. Country Boys Fish & Grits: Southern fish fry cuisine at a fair price
7. Cupside Down Café: Paninis and baked goods
8. Cuzzo’s Cuisine: Gourmet Southern Cuisine
10. Dinky’s Cuisine: Pulled Pork, Burgers and Shrimp
11. Doggy Bagz: Hot dogs, pulled pork, chicken
12. Eric’s Que: Classic Southern BBQ
13. Fishin’ Fellas: Fresh seafood
14. Goldfingers: Comfort food sweet and savory alike
15. Hog-N-Around BBQ
16. Jive Turkey Legs
17. Jones-Zee Mobile Concession: Burgers, hotdogs, nachos galore!
18. Karen’s Mobile Kitchen: Chicken, fish, and sausage
19. King of Pops: Uniquely flavored popsicles
20. Laboo’s Finest Turkey Wangzzz
21. Low Country Creamery
22. Low Country Lobster: Lobster rolls
23. Palmetto Polar Snow
24. Pawley’s Mobile Eats: Hot and tasty burgers and sandwiches
25. Rayz Concessions: Funnel cakes and loaded chilli dogs
26. Ruthies of Charlotte: Fried chicken, cornbread and okra, all the Southern greats
27. Scott Benny’s American & International Cuisine: Mex Bowls, gyros and jerk chicken
29. Sno-Hut: Shaved ice
30. Street Sides Southern Kitchen
31. Tacos Rick-O: Authentic Mexican food
32. The Donut Guy
33. The Moroccan Cookbook: Specialty Moroccan food
34. The Plated Palette: Something for everyone; Tacos, wings, grilled sandwiches and more
35. The Wurst Wagen: Authentic German wursts, sausages
36. Tropical Paradise (1): Delicious Philly cheesesteaks and fresh lemonade
37. Velma’s Kitchen
38. Yo’ Cup: Frozen yogurt for the health conscious with a sweet tooth
BREWERIES AND DISTRIBUTORS
Anheuser Busch: Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Watermelon A Rita, Lime A Rita Splash, Presidente and Montejo
Best Damn Root Beer: BDRB bottles, Best Dam Cherry Cola
Blue Point: Toasted Lager, Blueberry Ale, Summer
Bold Rock: Carolina Apple, IPA
Catawba: White Zombie, Mother Trucker, Farmer Ted Cream Ale
Conquest Brewing: Artemis Blonde, Sacred Heart IPA, Porter
Elysian: Space Dust IPA, Blood Orange Ale
Goose Island: Green Line Pale Ale, Sofie, 312 and 4 Star Pils
Kona: Big Wave, Lemongrass Luau, Longboard Lager
Narragansett Beer: Lager, Del’s Shandy
Palmetto Brewery: Huger St IPA, Lowcountry Pilsner, Palmetto Amber
Redhook: ESB, Summerhook
Shock Top: Belgium White, Lemon Shandy
Stella Artois: Stella Cidre
Stone Brewing Company: IPA, Graniac
Swamp Cabbage: Sabal Palm, Dunkel, ESB
10 Barrel Brewing Co.: Joe IPA, Riding Solo
Widmer Brothers Brewing: Widmer HEFE, Widmer HEFE Shandy
This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 1:14 PM with the headline "Countdown to Saturday: 3 things to know about SC Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival."