'Food Truck Rodeo' On Tap For Pittsfield Downtown

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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Kathy Lloyd of How We Roll is organizing the city of Pittsfield's first Food Truck Rodeo.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Food. Beer. Music. Children's games. Giving to charity.

What more do you need for a good ole' fashioned Food Truck Rodeo?

Next month, the city will host its first Food Truck Rodeo, an event showcasing area food trucks, local breweries, a local band and children's games. The event on Sunday, May 4, will give the proceeds to Moments House.

"It's the first one in Pittsfield. We went to a few food truck rodeos in other places and they are a huge blast," said organizer Kathy Lloyd, who operates the local How We Roll food truck.

Starting at 11 a.m., five food trucks will open their doors at Palace Park on North Street. Beer will be served by local breweries Wandering Star and Big Elm. At noon, the Jill Gallagher Band will take the stage.

"These are all our food truck buddies that we've met at festivals," Lloyd said. "We're all very food passionate."

How We Roll has a focus on comfort food using local and organic ingredients and wrapping them in egg rolls. Black Forest Flammkuchen, from New York's Hudson Valley carries a wood, fire-brick oven around for pizzas. Chanterelle, from Northampton features a wide menu of items made form local and organic products. Gunther's Sausage Wagon of West Stockbridge sells authentic German bratwurst. Aurora's Gypsy Cafe of Danbury, Conn., features cuisine from all over the world.



Meanwhile, craft brewers Wandering Star and Big Elm will featuring some of their award-winning brews.

Admission to the event is free, but the booze and food will cost money.

"All of the food is for sale; otherwise, we would have to charge admission," Lloyd said.

Each vendor is paying a fee to be part of the event. After covering the expenses to put it on, the rest of the funds will go to Moments House.

"We really like what they do and who they do it for," Lloyd said of the Moments House, which helps patients and families who are coping with cancer. "It's just such a great resource."


Tags: cancer support,   food truck,   fundraiser,   

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Historic Wahconah Park Grandstand Almost Leveled

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — If you want to catch a last glimpse of the remaining Wahconah Park grandstand, you need to hurry.  

The historic grandstand is currently being demolished, with only a couple of the major structures remaining. Pittsfield is also working on what comes next for the park, and how baseball will return next year. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath said if people want to see the last of the structure, they should head down by the end of this week because "by Thursday or Friday it probably will entirely be down."

"It's moving quickly now that they're into the active demo phase," he told the Parks Commission on Tuesday. 

"…Certainly, I think by the end of September we'll see cleanup and, if you will, the big hole where the stadium sat. That all will be filled to grade." 

The more than 75-year-old structure was deemed unsafe in 2022, and planners determined that starting from square one is the best option.

On Sept. 3, the Conservation Commission issued 36 orders of conditions for the reconstruction of the ballpark. 

Conservation Agent Shannon Poulin pointed out that the application has gone through many revisions; reconstruction cannot begin until a certificate of compliance for the demolition is issued. 

The project crew will have an on-site meeting on Friday morning and consider two avenues of revitalization: The funding, last estimated around $15 million, and a financial strategy coming together through the mayor so that Pittsfield can move into an active build next year, or a longer process where the field is utilized before a new grandstand is built. 

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