NB Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival returns with a 'spooky' twist. Here's what we know.

NEW BEDFORD -- The New Bedford Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival returns with a Halloween-twist on Saturday, Oct. 28, with an array of tempting cuisine including Brazilian American kabobs, loaded French fries and two new SouthCoast trucks ready to serve for the first time.

Leni's Catch, which serves local seafood and everyday classics, is excited to be among the other trucks for the first time.

"Not only because it’s our first food truck festival but it is in the city we’ve grown up in and learned so much from," said Liam Saunders, owner. "Leni’s is deeply rooted from the city of New Bedford, supported by various local businesses to help things run."

Leni’s is pursing the New Bedford dream, according to Saunders -- a homegrown kid trying to make a name for himself in a community held close to the heart.

"With a little help from a man’s best friend, my girl Leni," he said. "The festival is all about the small business. Whether it’s a local seafood company, mom & pop Portuguese bakery or staple meat shop in the heart of Purchase Street. We’re here for the community; supporting, serving and delivering with a smile."

Over 20 trucks will be available at Fort Tabor Park

Celebrating its sixth year, the food trucks scheduled to appear in Fort Tabor Park from noon to 5 p.m., include: Cheese Louise, Hog Wash BBQ Co., Mac n Cheese Please, Thee Taco Dude, What's up Cupcake, South Shore Taco Guy, The Cookie Monstah, Moyzilla, Travelin' Bones, New City Microcreamery, Sabrosa Venezuela, Lobsta Love, Gonzalez Food Truck, Bem Bom Portuguese/American Culinary Fusion, Cheesy Chicks, Leni's Catch, Birria Gordita Tacos, CremeBru.La, Raffa Chimis, Shishkaberrys of NE, and Trolley Dogs.

Among the 20+ trucks, there will be an artisan market, music, henna tattoos, local and regional craft brews and "trick or treating" for kids at all the trucks. There will also be a $500 cash prize for best costume. Silmo Syrup will also be in attendance selling bottles and giving out free samples.

“Besides milks, you can put it in frappes, eggnogs, sundaes, a coffee fizz which is soda water and milk, mix it with RumChata, Bailey’s (Irish Cream) or Kalua, you can put it in your hot chocolate,” said Silmo’s new owner, City Council President Ian Abreu in a previous interview with the Standard-Times.

"We make sure that we have at least one of everything whether it's a sausage, a hot dog, a pizza truck, a whoopie pie, popcorn, burgers," said Anthony Pepe, owner of Food Trucks Festivals of America (FTFA).

"We try to have one of everything."

Pepe said it's one of his favorite locations for the food truck festival.

"The location pretty much speaks for itself, does it not? It is beautiful," he said. "You walk out there and you're looking at all the water, we line up the food trucks along the waterfront — it's just gorgeous."

Cheesy Chicks, Lobsta Love and Travelin' Bones among the trucks

Another New Bedford food truck to make its first appearance is RAFFA Chimi's, serving Puerto Rican, Dominican and American cuisine. They are best known for their chimi sandwiches (like a Dominican hamburger) as well as their Papa Loca, which are fries covered in a protein, lettuce, ketchup, mayo, nacho cheese and a special secret sauce.

"It's all about trying something new. Taking a risk on something you've never eaten before," owner Geleiza Machuca said in a previous Standard-Times interview. "There's really nothing like this kind of food in the city."

Since launching the food truck in 2019, located on 91 Nauset St., Machuca said they've been embraced by the community. "We knew we were gonna get some interest because there was no food truck selling this stuff, but we never never expected to get so much attention. It's been great," she said.

"We are looking forward to this event. This will be the biggest one we have done so far. We are excited and ready but most of all thankful and ready to do what we do best -feed people."

The event will be held rain or shine.

What brews will be available

The following breweries will be at the festival: Redemption Rock Brewing, Proclamation Ale Co., Long Live Beerworks, Graft, Hudson North Cider, Anchor & Hope, and Forty Second Brew Co.

Expect lines and bring lawn chairs

Last year's event saw upwards of 4,000 guests throughout the day. Pepe said that people should expect lines and to bring lawn chairs and blankets. There is also a VIP ticket that people can purchase that allow early access from 11 a.m. to noon.

There will also be an artisan section featuring businesses such as Funky Stuff, Magic Tree Henna and Big Wide Headband & Accessories. Guests can also enjoy cornhole, giant Jenga and checkers, all while dancing to tunes by a local DJ.

FTFA's goal is not only to introduce communities across the country to gourmet food trucks, but to support the small business owners who run them.

Where is the Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival

New Bedford Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival is located at Fort Taber, 1000 S. Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford.

What is the cost to attend the Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival

According to the website, the pre-sale general admission is $5 per person when purchased online until 11 a.m. on Oct. 28; then general admission is $10 at the door. Doors open at 12 p.m. for general admission ticket holders. Children 10 and under are free.

Foodies VIP tickets are available online only for $20. This ticket entitles you to early admission at 11 a.m., as well as one free dessert from the VIP dessert tent and bottled water, while supplies last.

Beer lovers package, available online only for $41, includes early admission at 11 a.m., three craft drinks of your choice, FTFA koozie, and bottled water, while supplies last.

Beer 6-package, available online only for $68, includes early admission at 11 a.m., six craft drinks of your choice, FTFA koozie, and bottled water, while supplies last.

To purchase tickets, visit www.foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com/new-bedford.

Parking for the festival

A paid parking lot is available on site. The City of New Bedford will be collecting $15 for parking. No shuttles are available for this event.

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter: @ChitwoodReports.Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New Bedford Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival returns Oct. 28