WINCHENDON – Now in its second year, the Parks & Recreation Department’s annual Food Truck Festival will feature more to eat and a lot of music to hear.

Recreation Coordinator Tiffany Newton told the Athol Daily News that this Friday’s event will be bigger and last longer than the inaugural festival. Newton said it was difficult to attract musicians at last year’s event, which led to a restructuring of the process. This included getting grants from the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation and Winchendon and Templeton cultural councils so each band could be paid.

“Last year, we were trying hard to find people to participate, and that was difficult,” Newton said. “This year, people knew a bit about it from last year and so they were contacting us to participate, which was a big difference.”

For the kids there will be face painting, a henna artist, and a bounce house.

Newton added that festival-goers will have a wider array of food to choose from this year. Last year there were 13 food trucks and so far, 19 have been confirmed. Winchendon’s Harbour Restaurant will be among the participants, serving mac & cheese and clam chowder. Food vendors were recruited by Wootrucks of West Boylston.

“Last year, the gentleman with Wootrucks had difficulty getting trucks to come here to Winchendon because they weren’t sure they’d do well,” said Newton. “Well, the trucks that did come were not prepared for the number of people who showed up. They ran out of food very quickly. So this year it was much easier for him to get a large group of trucks because it was so well-attended last year.”

In addition, Harbour will serve domestic beer along with breweries Bull Spit of Winchendon and Four Phantoms Brewing of Greenfield. As it was done last year, craft vendors will be set up around the center of the park.

Food truck vendors who will be on hand include Potato Potato, Birds Nest Italian Street Food, Pops Sweethearts, Sabrosa Venezuela, Mrs. Moriconi’s Ice Cream, Trolley Dogs, Uncle Joey’s Cannoli, Sauced and Tossed Chicken Co., Atrevete a Probar, Moesmellos, Shishkaberry’s of New England, Simmy’s Polish Express, MinuteMan Kettle Corn, Kona Ice of Shrewsbury, Mac Daddy, The DogFather, Easy Street Tacos, Bay State Chews and Moe’s Sweet Eats.

Bands taking part in the battle of the bands will provide a variety of styles, from punk rock to classic rock to dance.

Current weather forecasts call for rain on Friday, which Newton expects will deter some people. It’s a rain or shine event, though, and Newton still expects a large crowd. She said a 20-by-40-foot tent will be set up and vendors typically have pop-ups that people can get under.

“But I would recommend bringing a poncho or umbrella, just in case,” she said.

The Food Truck Festival will take place on Friday, June 23, from 4-9 p.m. at GAR Park, Grove Street in Winchendon, near the Old Murdock Senior Center. For more information, call 978-297-5410.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.

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