Food Truck Festival returns to Cove

By PAMELA GRANT
Cove Leader-Press 

Hundreds of hungry Covites enjoyed the delectable delights offered by the various food trucks at Copperas Cove City Park on Saturday.
Copperas Cove’s 2nd Annual Food Truck Festival featured 19 food trucks and 11 vendors including some from as far away as Austin and Waco. In addition to the food trucks and vendors, the family-friendly event also featured beer and wine tents, live music, bounce houses, and various outdoor games including horseshoes, Jenga, and more.
“Over here in this area, we don’t have many food trucks, when you think of food trucks, you think of the Waco/Austin area, so we just wanted to bring as many as we could into this area and let all the residents and the community kind of have a taste of all these wonderful places,” said Ashley Gilmore, Parks & Recreation Administrative Assistant. “It’s a great atmosphere for people to take their families and enjoy themselves.”
Gilmore described the event as a great experience with great food and good atmosphere. Gilmore said that the response to the event has been overwhelmingly positive, and she was excited that the weather cooperated for the event.
“I think it’s terrific…this is a well thought out, well executed event,” said Joe Brown, Parks & Recreation Director, who attributed the event’s success to his hard-working staff. “I notably have the best team I’ve had…They really kept the core values of this event which is family and a fun and friendly environment…We have something for everyone. We have food, beer, wine, kid events…It brings a great evening of family-focused fun.”
The variety of food trucks offered locals the opportunity to visit old favorites as well as try out cuisine that they may have never even considered. Available options included Korean food, tacos, gyros, pizza, steak, and more.
Melvin Lowe, owner of Lowe’s Legs, which specializes in turkey legs (though they sell other things as well) attended the event all the way from Temple. 
“I enjoy coming to Copperas Cove…I’m well known in Cove,” said Lowe. “Everyone wants to know my special recipe, and I say that there’s a whole lot of tender, loving care that I put into it.” 
Lowe said that he comes to many of the events in Cove including Rabbit Fest. He also had a stand at the Multicultural Festival held earlier that day at Ogletree Gap. Lowe said that he always does well in Cove.
“We do like that they had free activities for the kids. The bounce houses were free. The face painting was free,” said Ashley Person who brought her son, Colton Person (7). She said that they came for the food trucks, but that the free activities for the kids made it worth it to her.
“So far, I liked the jelly and the salsa…I tried the pineapple and the apple pie,” said Colton who said that his favorite part of the event so far was checking out the vendors. “I also liked the mild salsa.”
Most of the event-goers attended for the food. Michele Reid, who attended the event with Luke Lichtenwalner and his son Chase Lichtenwalner (11), said that they came to the event specifically for the bulgogi fries. Reid said that the event was wonderful so far and that the fries were great.
“It’s nice that we had someplace to sit. Killeen did this not too long ago, and there was nowhere to sit,” said Luke Lichtenwalner.
“I’m ready for some turkey legs and a snow cone,” said Chase Lichtenwalner. “I love turkey legs!”