The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council introduced a new occasion to Oxford’s arts community Sunday evening. The first semiannual Yoknapalooza food truck fair featured three operational trucks, two stages of live music and local artisans selling their wares.
Galaxy Hotel Band members traveled from Dallas to play in inaugural Yoknapalooza food truck fair. (Photo by: Deja Samuel)
This first installment of Yoknapalooza was imagined less than two months ago. Food trucks have become a rapidly growing part of Oxford’s cultural scene, with support from the arts council.
Now, just months after the introduction of Oxford’s first food truck, Yoknapataco, there are four consistently operating food trucks in town. Wayne Andrews, Yoknapatawpha Arts Council director said he hopes by the time of the second Yoknapalooza, there will be even more food trucks involved.
“These food trucks and artists here represent what’s going on culturally in Oxford right now,” Andrews said. “We’re highlighting our talented neighbors.”
Attendees of the food truck fair wait in line to get a Yoknapataco. (Photo by: Deja Samuel)
Participating bands included Galaxy Hotel Band, an acoustic group from Dallas, Texas and Oxford-based Reels. Students, locals and out-of-towners alike danced, ate and browsed art galleries.
The event featured several of Oxford’s food trucks, including Yoknapataco.
This event was not the art council’s first collaboration with the taco truck, however. In August 2015, the council threw the taco truck a “birthday party” on its inaugural night. The truck served around 500 people that night, according to Yoknapataco cook Ethan Boutwell.
Kate Teague leads the Oxford-based band Reels Sunday night. (Photo by: Timothy Steenwyck)
Sunday, the Yoknapataco crew expected to feed 100 attendees. They offered their regular menu, with a $5 meal specifically for the event. During the week, Yoknapataco cooks outside Funky’s Bar from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. and cycles through lunch locations daily.
The arts council is already planning the next Yoknapalooza, scheduled for the fall, and has included food trucks in their lineup for this April’s Mississippin’ event.
“These events are just as much about community building and interaction as they are about the food itself,” Andrews said.
The arts council threw 325 events this year, all with the goal of encouraging community networking and development.
Breakfast2Lunch prepares to serve the crowd at the first annual Yoknapalooza. (Photo by: Timothy Steenwyck)
Andrews said a strong arts community is essential to a town like Oxford. In fact, for the past year, national nonprofit organization Americans for the Arts has been surveying Oxford to track the growing arts culture. Out of the 300 cities surveyed, Oxford was the only one in Mississippi.
