'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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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly.  A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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