On June 10, 2015, What the Truck?! hosted its first brunch-themed event at Capital Boulevard.
Brunch on the Boulevard
Fourteen vendors joined us for Brunch on the Boulevard, serving up inspired items ranging from breakfast pizza to banana bread French toast and Captain Crunch ice cream sandwiches.
Canicus Catering’s breakfast pizza
The weather, while mostly cooperative, was overcast and windy at times. As a result, lines were minimal, and attendees enjoyed seamless access to most vendors – there’s definitely an incentive to coming out in spite of less than optimal conditions!
Weather wasn’t a deterrent for these folks
It was great to have DJs Thomas Culture and Polyesterday on hand to create an upbeat, sunny atmosphere. They literally had some people dancing in the streets!
DJ Thomas Culture
The Downtown Edmonton Community League and GFL also deserve shout-outs, given the sponsorships really helped us make the event a reality.
We had chosen the location primarily because we thought it was worth showcasing. Much has been invested to develop not only Capital Boulevard, but also the new Centennial Plaza and renovated Federal Building. In some ways, we were too ahead of the game – not all of the street’s infrastructure was ready (power, for instance), and the public art on the centre island planters are a year or two out.
Capital Boulevard
As for the Plaza itself, the coloured fountains were being repaired, and the Visitor’s Centre was aiming to open in time for Canada Day. And because of antiquated policies relating to the use of the Legislative Grounds, we weren’t permitted to purposely use the Plaza (we couldn’t place seating or porta-potties on the Plaza, for example). Apparently there are folks working to change these rules, but we’ll see how soon the shifts can be made.
Incidental use was permitted
It will also be interesting to see how other events end up programming the Boulevard in the future – with at least one parkade with its only entrance and exit fronting the Boulevard, multi-day festivals will have a challenge maintaining access. The centre planters also pose an additional difficulty, further reducing space for fire lanes. These were definitely elements we didn’t consider until trying to program the space ourselves; hopefully the City was aware of the limitations when designing the street.
If you missed the event, not to worry, our next What the Truck?! is just around the corner. We’ve had requests over the years for beer gardens, and while we’re not in a position to make that happen ourselves, we’ve partnered with someone who can.
What: What the Truck?!
Where: Northlands Park (7410 Borden Park Road NW, Edmonton, AB)
When: Friday, July 10, 2015
Time: 5-10pm
RSVP on Facebook!
We’re hosting a What the Truck?! at Northlands, in conjunction with Park After Dark. Ever curious about horse racing? Mack and I went a few years ago, and had a great time. On July 10, you’ll not only be able to catch some live horse racing and enjoy a cool drink on their patio, but you’ll also be able to sample from fifteen different trucks!
Check out the website on Friday for menus. Hope to see you there!
Only Here for the Food 