Bates Nut Farm rolls in the food trucks

Fifth or Sixth Annual Valley Center Food Truck Festival, they all tend to blur, but whatever number it was, it was happening Saturday at Bates Nut Farm.

This incarnation was dubbed the Bates Nut Farm Spring Food Truck Festival 2016.

Eight of San Diego’s favorite food trucks will be on hand serving a variety of mobile cuisine. The lineup included Two For the Road, Pierogi Truck, Organic Food Truck, Perky Beans, That’s What Cheese Said, Devilicious, Epic Eatz and Chubby’s.

If that weren’t enough, Bates Nut Farm’s grounds overflowed with an arts and crafts show as well. The event also featured live music from Calico Ridge on the Bates Stage from 12 – 3, along with pony rides, petting zoo and face painting.

Chris Bracamonte took a village with him to take his latest culinary creations to the people in the form of Epic Eatz. He had his wife, cousins, two sons helping out with the truck out of San Marcos.

Bracamonte’s special hook to his food truck experience is a rotating menu every six months or so. this time he was going surf and turf with an ode to the beach featuring Asian-Hawaiian-Mexican fusion.

“We do it all,” Bracamonte said as his family crew served a long line of people, obviously the best of show. “That’s the beauty of it. We don;t stick to one thing. We do everything and we like to do something different.

Food festers.

Rumor had it the surf and turf would yield to a burgers and taco menu soon. But fact, Bracamonte said he was adding a second truck for more coverage around North County.

Last year’s food truck festivals had around 20 trucks compared to this year’s eight. So, the arts and crafts crowds took over much of front lawn attracting large crowds.

Strawberry Luv forever.

Serena Heinz, of Oceanside, assisted by Cindy Bauman Fewster of Mira Mesa, drew a steady stream of shoppers to their Strawberry Luv baby shop. Fewster also had on hand her bright spot decor line.

“it’s a good crowd this year, and we love doing the show” Fewster said. “The totos and onesies are doing very well this time.”