Leechburg fire company to host food truck festival this weekend

Another food truck festival is coming to Leechburg.

Oktober Fest 2020, sponsored by Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company, will be Saturday on the fire company grounds on Canal Street.

The second mobile food-themed fundraiser comes on the heels of the inaugural food truck festival hosted last month, said Brian Scott, president of the fire company.

“The public was extremely supportive of our food truck rally in September, and (the fire company) was very satisfied with the event,” Scott said. “We more than met our dollar goal, raising more than $5,000.”

Scott said the fire company hopes to host monthly food truck events in Leechburg next year, and the company is working hard to make up for lost revenue totaling about $60,000.

Annual fundraising staples such as bingo, a fall gun bash and the summer carnival were canceled because of covid-19 restrictions.

Money raised through Oktober Fest will help offset the cost of recent roof repairs at the firehouse.

“The cost of the resurfacing was $21,000,” Scott said.

Co-organizers Kari Kubla and Melissa Tantlinger have added about 14 craft vendors for the upcoming event.

About a dozen food trucks will be positioned along the Kiski River. Social distancing guidelines will be followed.

Attendees may purchase food tickets in dollar increments and spend them at the food trucks.

Beginning at 4:30 p.m., live music will be provided by Magic and The Hot Metal Brass Band and Farewell Felicia.

Other activities include a duck drop, raffles, 50-50, instant tickets and chuck-a-luck.

Scott said the duck drop will not have a traditional racing component but instead will involve yellow plastic ducks being dropped from a 100-foot tower ladder, with the winning ducks landing closest to the center of a target.

Fire and rescue trucks from the fire company will be on display.

Food truck entree prices range from $3 to $24.

German-themed beer brewed by Cellar Works Brewing Co. will be available.

“The feedback on the first rally was very positive from those that attended, and all felt the food was very good,” Scott said.

Tantlinger said she is advising participating vendors to stock up because many vendors sold out of food early during the previous rally.

“The past event exceeded expectations, and we were able to pay for the new river rescue boat after just one event,” Tatlinger said. “I don’t think our carnival earns this much.”

Vendors are donating 20% of their event profits to the fire company.

The vendors scheduled to provide food and drinks include Cedar and Slate, Smokey Joe’s House of Q, Honeybee & Co., Weston Sales, Popped Envy Gourmet Popcorn, Hot Ash Wood Fired Pizza, Hot Ash Doughtastic Sandwiches, Galaxy Donut, Anything Rolls Egg Rolls, Kona Ice of Butler, Wine O’Clock Somewhere, Ash & Kris Kitchen, Coralee Cupcakes, Little C’s Concessions, Del Vecchio’s Sausage and Fries and Firehouse Subs of Butler.