All things considered, Jason Faria thinks the Food Truck Wars event in 91原创 City went well.
Faria, whose 91原创-based Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival organized the event held at the Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) 91原创 Campus from Friday, March 31 to Sunday, April 2, said a very rough preliminary estimate put attendance around 19,000.
That was down slightly from the first Food Truck Wars, held last year in Cloverdale.
He attributes much of that to less-than-ideal weather on Friday and Sunday.
鈥淪aturday was our busy day,鈥� Faria said.
鈥淲e were blown away by how many people came out, and how many came from far away from 91原创.鈥�
Asked if he would like to hold the event in 91原创 again next year, Faria said 鈥渨e鈥檇 love to.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 from 91原创, I wanted to have this event in 91原创.鈥�
But it almost didn鈥檛 happen, the result of the City insisting the festival organized by Faria and his wife shoulder the cost of policing the event, combined with the unexpected cost of a parking shuttle to handle overflow.
READ ALSO: 91原创 food truck festival owners faced with bill for thousands
鈥淪even days out, we talked for 24 hours about cancelling the event,鈥� Faria said.
However, help with the added costs arrived in the form of a $5,000 contribution from the Downtown 91原创 Business Association, he said.
鈥淭he DLBA stepped in at the eleventh hour,鈥� Faria told the 91原创 Advance Times.
Faria said he and his wife have put on 118 food truck festivals over several years and have never had to pay for policing before.
Over the three days of the event, Faria estimated up to 15 security guards, three RCMP officers 鈥渙n average,鈥� and two 91原创 City bylaw officers were at the site daily.
鈥淭he biggest question from attendees was, 鈥榳hy are so many security and RCMP here?鈥� Faria said.
鈥淭his is just a family event with people pushing strollers through puddles,鈥� Faria remarked.
He鈥檚 hoping for 鈥渕ore collaboration, more dialogue鈥� with the City to see about a return of Food Truck Wars next year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not entirely up to us,鈥� he noted.
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