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It's quite difficult to ignore the mouthwatering smells that escape food trucks when we pass them by on the street. They even tempt us to neglect our dinner reservations just to sink our teeth in the dishes they are serving.
But when you're in the presence of dozens of carts drawing us in with their delicious cuisine, there's no reason why we shouldn't stop and sample their foods. So ditch the stuffy restaurants and visit each of these food truck festivals as they intend to fill your appetites with so many culinary masterpieces, you'll want to taste a bit of everything.
Honolulu, HI: Eat the Street
There's a reason why thousands of salivating gourmets migrate to the district of Kaka'ako in Hawaii every last Friday of the month. It could be the rich scents of aromatic dishes seeping out of the dozens of food trucks gracing the street. Or the fact that during each festival foodies are greeted with a new theme, which means a fresh treat to tantalize their taste buds. For most of the thousands of visitors blessing Eat the Street with their presence it's both and that's because its food trucks offer a wide spectrum of Hawaii's delicious and favored cuisine.
Since the festival is known to be packed with customers it's best to arrive at 4 p.m. sharp or even earlier because the lines here can get pretty long. But don't let the determined eaters deter you from reserving your spot on line because once you bite into the yummy street foods, you'll be salivating for more.
Portland, Ohio: Eat Mobile Festival
When a city's street food has been dubbed the "world's best street food", you'll definitely want to follow your nose to sample all that it has in store. The Portland Eat Mobile Festival is every gourmet's dream come true as hundreds of food trucks line the streets with hungry-eyed customers in tow.
Vendors also try to outdo each other with one-of-a-kind foods in hopes of winning the reputable Carty Award. And with plans of 2015 festival already in talks, there is more to great food to dish-up for visitors wanting to pre-sample cuisine or dive right in and take a huge bite.
Texas: Texas Food Truckin' Fest
Decorated with mobile restaurants like Doughboy's Pizza, Cup Cakin, Bombay Chop Stix and much more, you may walk into the Texas Food Truckin Fest hungry, but you'll leave one satisfied customer. That's because the Texas Food Truckin Fest exudes the saying "eat, drink and be merry" as live entertainers excite the crowd with each bite in April 2015.
Texas is known for its large portions, so when you're at the largest food truck festival that's highly considered the largest in Northern Texas, you can expect your appetite to be filled in a great way. That said, even chefs put on their best culinary performances to keep customers surrounding their trucks like a hungry pack of wolves.
Durham, NC: Bull City Race Fest and Food Truck Rodeo
Let's just say that after you've completed a half-marathon or five- mile run, you'll be thanking your lucky stars for the food trucks dotted throughout the city of Durham. On Oct. 19, the Bull City Race Fest and Food Truck Rodeo will be comprised of a variation of intense and family-friendly competitions as well as an introduction into the foodie paradise known as North Carolina. With this in mind, this festival is one event where pigging out after competing in a marathon is not only socially acceptable but encouraged. Bon appetit!
Wheaton, MD: Curbside Cookoff
As Sept. 28 quickly approaches, chefs are pulling out all the bells and whistles to make their dishes appease any craving. Especially with 19 other vendors all attempting to hone their craft for Maryland's Curbside Cookoff, this food-savoring event will be heaven for every food connoisseur.
Every specialty imaginable including cheesecakes, crab cakes and lobster will even bring hermits out of their holes to devour their scrumptious flavors bursting throughout the Wheaton Triangle's atmosphere. So if you're looking for a one-stop-shop for indulging in Maryland's favorite treats then bring your appetite and visit the Curbside Cookoff.
Cape Cod, MA: Melody Tent Food Truck Festival
From the moment you take a whiff of the Thai specialties, French cuisine and seafood flavors floating through the atmosphere, you'll be obliged to make a stop at every food cart in sight just to sample what each chef is dishing up. As a newcomer to the food truck festival experience, the Melody Tent Food Truck Festival seems to have its culinary treats down packed with high-quality dishes that go hand-in-hand with the iconic Massachusetts flair.
And with performers like Quinn Sullivan seducing the crowd with his smooth guitar skills, the Melody Tent Family Food Truck plans to take the food industry by storm. Nevertheless, when you're in the comfort of the Old Colony State on June 28, you'll see that this newbie might just be a force to be reckoned with.
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