1,300 visit Food Truck & Music Fest

More than 1,300 people attended the second Sparta Food Truck & Music Fest on Saturday, July 20 at White Lake Field.

The event, organized by Just Jersey Fest, raised money for the Sparta Benevolent Society and a local food pantry.

All attendees were asked to bring a nonperishable canned or boxed food item; they were donated to the Newton Food Pantry after the festival.

Just Jersey Fest, in its 11th year, has coordinated and promoted more than 40 events in New Jersey this year.

There was something for everyone, with 17 food trucks, including X-Press Corn, the Angry Chouriço BBQ, Kona Ice, the Mozzarella Guy, Why Not Burgerz, Señor Tacos and Johnny Zeppoli.

The newly-established Hey A Food Truck offered healthy options and had some vegan and gluten-free menu items. This was its first event.

Allison Kohler, owner of Just Jersey Fest, said she tries to have only one food specialty per truck at each event she organizes.

There was a beer, margarita and sangria garden, offering Lone Eagle Brewing Summer Honey Blonde Ale, Flemmington IPA, Stations Haus Lager, Señor Sangia, strawberry vodka lemonade, and regular and strawberry margaritas and daiquiris.

Performing were QuinnEx Duo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by the Counterfeiters until 4 p.m. and Strange Behavior, until the festival ended at 7 p.m.

Among the activities were a bungee trampoline, rock wall, knockerball, bounce house, mini golf, axe throwing, face painting and sand art.

Jersey Ponies brought a petting zoo and pony rides. There was also outdoor ice skating on a silicone rink and ziplining ride 35 feet high across 230 feet.

Vendors included Doggie Sweets, STYX By the Lake cigar house, Hawaiian Moon Aloe Skin Cream, Butch’s Hot Sauce, Lees Bees NJ and the Center for Prevention & Counseling. Others were selling cutlery, beef jerky, jewelry, fairy hair, even CBD, cannabis and hemp extracts.

The Sparta Benevolent Society, a nonprofit organization, was started during the coronavirus pandemic to support families and organizations in Sparta, Currently, there are 25 members and eight board members.

All proceeds from its events go to families in need, scholarships for Sparta High School students, Thanksgiving meals and local businesses, explained Meghan McCluskey.

Board member Patrick McKernan said the Sparta Benevolent Society paid the registration fee for a school robotics club to qualify for a competition and donated money to the archery team for the registration and coaches fees at the Eastern Nationals competition in Kentucky. It also paid the cost for the children of three or four families who could not afford the eighth-grade school trip.