Bayonne Food Truck Festival returns in 2022 - The Hudson Reporter

It was nice weather for a food truck festival in Bayonne on May 14. Photos by Daniel Israel.

Bayonne held its third-ever Food Truck Festival on May 14, with many attending the annual event after a two year hiatus. First offered in 2018, the festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, city officials decided conditions were stable enough to have the festival come back in full force in 2022, although it was delayed a week from May 7 to May 14 due to inclement weather.

Despite the one-week pushback, the festival went off without a hitch, with crowds of residents taking advantage of the many choices of food trucks and other vendors.

Many food trucks lined Avenue E from 22nd to 24th Streets from 12 to 7 p.m. The avenue was closed between those streets all day to accommodate the trucks and foot traffic, and the city encouraged residents to arrive via Light Rail given the close proximity of the 22nd Street Station.

A woman tries a sample from one food truck, which was essential given the number of eating options that day.

A myriad of chefs from different cultures were eager to bring their cuisine to Bayonne.

Different types of ethnic food vendors set up shop on Avenue E for the festival, ranging from Polish to Colombian food.

In addition to food trucks, other food vendors lined the avenue with grills and stove tops. They served hungry guests hand-held dishes from under the shade of their canopies.

From arepas to kebabs, and kielbasa to tacos, there were so many food options to choose from.

The aroma of the freshly-made foods wafted throughout that portion of Avenue E. It was a sensory overload of good smells and even better-looking dishes.

The smell of fresh grilled food and other treats, both savory and sweet, filled Avenue E.

Some incredibly tasty condiments were also for sale to enhance the food. From a wide array of pickles to an assortment of homemade hot sauces, diverse options were on display.

Hot, hot, hot sauce could be sampled before purchase.

Fresh squeezed lemonade, cookies, and other snacks were ready for purchase on top of the other good eats available to attendees. Most people the Bayonne Community News spoke with came hungry and left happy.

Kettlecorn, cupcakes, and other sugary snacks were available for those with a sweet tooth.

Non-food items were also for sale, ranging from sunglasses to jewelry and more. Sand art was set up for children, among other activities and vendors.

Non-food vendors sold a variety of wares at stalls set up interspersed between food trucks.

There was an elaborate set-up of bounce houses and inflatable obstacle courses in the parking lot of the Bayonne Family Community Center, right off of Avenue E and 23rd Street. Many children took joy in climbing across the obstacles or jumping in one of the facilities.

Children played with excitement at the nearly half-dozen bounce facilities at the festival.

Next to that on 23rd Street itself was a beer and wine garden for adults, where those over 21 could enjoy a cold beverage on the warm day. There was additional seating outside the area for the general public at Sister Miriam Theresa Park just to the side.

Cold sangria made for a nice refreshment on the warm afternoon.

In the cordoned off area within the beer and wine garden, people could play games like oversized Jenga or extra large Connect Four, as well as corn hole. If not interested in games, seating was available to sit and relax or socialize.

There were plenty of things to do for both children and adults.

At 23rd Street and Avenue E was a small stage, where Mayor James Davis gave a short speech to commemorate the event: “Today is a great day. First we started by opening our Buddy Baseball season. And now we open our spring, summer, and fall festivals with our fabulous food truck festival. Let’s give up to the band kicking us off this morning: The Empire.”

Mayor James Davis said the Bayonne Food Truck Festival kicks off the 2022 festival season in the city.

Following that, a band known as The Empire kicked off the live music entertainment. The band provided the perfect ambience to the lively food festival.

The Empire performed classic songs that provided a positive atmosphere.

The annual event picked back up right where it left off pre-COVID. And the city undoubtedly looks to continue that success in 2023.

Smiles could be seen in any direction you looked at the food truck festival.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com. 

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