Food trucks have a growing appeal, and Greensboro’s mobile cuisine scene is bursting with flavor. They benefit from a mix of casual customers and die-hard fans. Some like them for the convenient change of pace. Others want the opportunity to try something new or discover food from other cultures.

UNC Greensboro has alumni and students who have made a splash as food truck entrepreneurs. “There is always a unique quality to the food and atmosphere that food trucks bring,” says Deidra Jones ’01, a marketing alumna who serves up iced desserts from Pelican’s SnoBalls. “Most importantly, being mobile is the best. You can bring the party to the people wherever they may be celebrating.”

Students won’t have any trouble finding food or parties this summer. Food trucks have become staples of festivals in Greensboro and the surrounding communities.

Juneteenth Food for Thought

The Black Food Truck Festival is back in Greensboro for its fifth year. Organized by UNCG alumna April Parker ’13 with Architect of Black Space, it has grown yearly, with more than 10,000 people attending. This year, it will be held at LeBauer Park on Saturday, June 14.

The Black Food Truck Festival will be a family affair for Jones. She and her children will serve Pelican’s SnoBalls to festival attendees. With temperatures expected to reach the mid-80s, they hope guests will want to keep cool with their popular flavors – the sour tsunami and Tiger’s blood “Shark Attack” and pink cotton candy/skylite “Unicorn” are among their best-selling treats.

“I love being in a positive space where I can not only celebrate my business with the community but also be a proud representation of my culture as well,” says Jones.

UNCG’s ties are not limited to food. The festival will also host craft vendors and live shows. Zodwa Dance Company, co-founded by Dr. Zithobile Nxumalo ’11, will perform at Center City Park at 6:30 p.m. The collective came together in 2020 with a mission to use dance to promote Black women’s safety and freedom.

Nxumalo hopes Spartans will enjoy the show while reflecting on the historical moment. “Dance can be such an immaculate vessel to channel freedom,” she says. “Over the years, we have gotten better and better at building honest and reciprocal community with ourselves, each other, and the world around us.”

A list of events and a map of the attractions can be found in the Black Food Truck Festival program. 

More Juneteenth celebrations throughout the North Carolina Piedmont will feature food trucks: 

• Friday, June 13: Juneteenth Celebration at North Park (Burlington) 
• Saturday, June 14: Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebration (Mebane) 
  • 4th Annual Juneteenth Celebration (Reidsville) 
• Thursday, June 19: Juneteenth SOULebration (Colfax) 
  • Juneteenth Celebration (Mount Airy) 
• Saturday, June 21: Juneteenth Freedom Festival and Celebration (Thomasville) 

Food Truckin’ on the Fourth  

There’s no one way to have fun during the Fourth of July. With cookouts, concerts, and neighborhood get-togethers happening near and far, you’re bound to hear the fireworks from miles away. 

By planning ahead for good eats and inviting a friend to take it all in, you’ll set yourself up for an unforgettable Fourth this year. Here is a list of local events that will kickstart the holiday festivities: 

• Friday, June 27: Independence Day Celebration (Yanceyville) 
• Thursday, July 3: Guilford County Fireworks Extravaganza (Gibsonville) 
• Friday, July 4:  Fun Fourth Festival (Greensboro) 
  • Fireworks and Food Trucks (Archdale)
  • 4th of July Community Concert & Fireworks (Kernersville) 

Other Food Truck Stops 

Need something to enjoy on the go without the bedazzle of a holiday or festival? You can easily roll a food truck stop into your daily routine to keep the summer exciting.

Annual series like Greensboro’s Music for a Sunday Evening in the Park (MUSEP) will have food for sale during its free shows. Just like for Juneteenth, expect to see some UNCG alumni on the outdoor stage. The next MUSEP show, featuring the Philharmonia of Greensboro, is on June 15. 

Check out these similar drop-in events that will fill your schedule with non-stop fun: 

• Asheboro Summer Concert Series – The next is on June 19, 7 – 8:30 p.m. 
• Caswell County Farmers Market – Every Thursday through September 25, 4 – 6:30 p.m.  
• Chapel Hill Food Truck Thursdays – Every Thursday in June and July, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. 
• Durham NC Food Truck Fair – Saturday, July 19, 4 – 10 p.m.
  • Foodie Fare – Friday, July 18, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.  
• Lewisville Street Party & Food Truck Festival – Saturday, June 21, 6 – 9 p.m.  
• Oak Ridge Music in the Park – Saturdays, June 14 and July 12, 6 – 9 p.m. 
• Raleigh Food Truck Rodeo – Saturday, June 28, Noon – 6 p.m.  
• Winston-Salem Food Truck Festival – Sunday, August 3, 3 – 8 p.m. 
  • Foodees Food & Culture Festival – July 25 – 27 

NC’s Best of the Best

But wait…food truck mania doesn’t wind down when summer ends. Students with a craving for something new in the fall semester can take a short trip down to the 12th Annual North Carolina Food Truck State Championship in Randleman, NC, on September 6.

Food Trucks will gather in Commerce Square to share their favorite recipes with customers while judges choose the winning menu. There will also be live music headlined by The Catalinas, family activities, and a chance to buy fresh, local produce from the farmers’ market.

Story by Janet Imrick and Lauren Segers, University Communications 
Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications; and courtesy of Deidra Jones