Black Food Truck Festival

If you ever need a micro-vacation, this is it! My group, Queens of Charlotte, planned quite an adventure this spring.

We decided to spend the weekend in Charleston for the Black Food Truck Festival. This festival, created by Marcus Hammond four years ago, is everything you need for a micro-vacation. He and his team has everything planned out for you.

This year, the festival took place April 26-28th. There were events each day, plus to you can tour Charleston while you’re here. If you decide to come down on Friday, you can spend the day at the beach. I prefer Isle of Palms, but you can also try Folly beach. Then, that nights, there’s a grand opening celebration. This celebration took place at The Wanderer on Meeting St., which has two levels. Different music played on both floors including R&B and soul music. There were tons of drinks, but unfortunately, no food.

On Saturday, there’s a morning session that includes Yoga. Or, you can just attend the food truck festival at the Exchange Park from noon to 7pm. There are plenty of food, dessert, drink, and trinket vendors. Multiple bars are sprinkled throughout the park. They have a main stage with DJs and live performing acts. There was tons of parking and security. There is a fee to get in, but it’s worth it. You can have a picnic (bring a blanket) or bring your chair/tent. They also have seating, if you forget to bring one. Lastly, there are tons of IG worthy pic opportunities. Get there early to avoid waiting for parking and long lines for food.

That night, we attended the after party. The after party, Trappyoke, took place at Music Farm located in Downtown Charleston. The bar served drinks and food. Patrons were invited on stage to belt their favorite songs. The audience joined in, as well. At the end, we bumped into the founder Marcus Hammond. He’s a dope dude. I’m so proud of what he created!

We ended our weekend with a Sunday brunch Eleve Rooftop Restaurant and Lounge in Downtown Charleston. This is a beautiful restaurant, but the service lacked. If you’re ever seated in Bernadine’s (I think that’s her name) section, ask to be moved. She took over an hour to bring our food and had an attitude when we complained.

Do you think you’ll head to Charleston next year?