[Update, 6/9/15: Congratulations to triple-crown winner Cow and the Curd from Philadelphia, and to local favorites Greek on the Street, E’s BBQ Explosion, and Iced Gems Baking on their awards for Mayor’s Cup, Best Barbecue, and Best Dessert, respectively.]
Patterson Park is being transformed into a foodie mecca this weekend.
The third and final leg of The Gathering’s annual Taste of 3 Cities competition, which pits the best food trucks of Philadelphia, D.C., and Baltimore against one another, will take over the grounds this Saturday June 6 from 12-9 p.m.
This year’s competition started in April, where more than 50 trucks set up shop at Storey Park to serve the masses in Washington D.C.
Soon after, the pack hit the road once again to debut their mobilized menus at Xfinity Live in Philadelphia, and this weekend, they’re headed our way for the last stop of the triple-crown competition’s tour.
Jen Berg, The Gathering’s creative director, says that the history of the festival dates back to four years ago, when some of D.C.’s finest food trucks wanted to get in on the action in Charm City.
“We realized that there’s a whole other town of food truck festivals down there,” says Berg,”and we saw that a lot of the trucks [from both cities] were matching up, barbecue with barbecue and dessert with dessert, so we thought it would make a great competition.”
Some of our favorite participants include Greek on the Street, Kommie Pig, and Iced Gems Baking.
“Food trucks don’t get enough credit,” Berg says. “Their creations are amazing, but people often don’t realize the amount of work that they do from sun up to sun down. They have to be mechanics, business owners, dishwashers, and do their own marketing, which is part of the reason why we added a cash prize, to celebrate all that they do.”
Berg says that locals should keep an eye out for buzzed-about contenders from neighboring cities like Philly’s Cow and the Curd, which has attracted tons of diners with its signature fried cheese curds, and D.C.’s Red Hook Lobster, which features Connecticut-style lobster rolls.
The family-friendly event will also feature a graffiti wall, hula-hoopers, local fashion and art trucks, and a live music lineup with local reggae band Yellow Dubmarine as its headliner.
Berg says that local events like Taste of 3 Cities are more important than ever, especially in the wake of April’s unrest.
“They bring positivity back to the streets and celebrate the open airiness of Baltimore,” she says. “Especially during times when people are afraid to walk out their door, it’s important to congregate and eat together as a neighborhood.”
General admission tickets for the event are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit Meals on Wheels Central Maryland, The (RED) Campaign, and Anne Arundel House of Hope.