Foodstock 2022 Photo by Carla Slavey
RV Park and Boat Rental locally . All the competition spots are already sold out , noted Bates .
Representatives from the grill company will also be interacting with the public , handing out samples and talking about grills .
“ I ’ m looking forward to it ,” said Jones . “ It ’ s going to be an awesome event . I think we already have hundreds that are saying they ’ re coming . It ’ s going to be something not just for this April , but for years to come . It ’ s just going to get better .” Visit www . protradehardware . com for more information .
Bates is looking forward to bringing the live demonstrations to downtown Somerset . “ Everybody watches that stuff on YouTube and on social media , but you really can ’ t go to a place and get that experience , so it ’ s really cool to be able to provide that for everybody ,” she said .
Added Julie Harris , City of Somerset Communications Director , “ We ’ re super excited to have this kind of experience at Foodstock . It ’ s already a beloved event in terms of the types of food that you get from our food trucks from across the region . This will still be there , but we ’ re adding to this a component where BBQ grillers can earn a chance to win a title . Someone who ’ s attending the festival can walk around and experience them cooking , grilling , and also ( the ) demonstrations , classes , tastings , that sort of thing . It really offers a different experience to the festivalgoer that highlights some of the best in BBQ here in our region .”
Harris noted that Phelps , as a food influencer , will likely be going around , talking to various food vendors , and “ really putting a culinary spotlight on Somerset for that day .”
Of course , the food trucks have been the key part of Foodstock from the beginning and Ikerd doesn ’ t want to forget about them . “ Most of our vendors have been with us since 2019 and do an incredible job bringing their business from all over Kentucky really . We want to to make sure that we highlight them , and we ’ re thankful that they want to be part of our event .”
Last year , there were about 35 vendors , and this year ’ s event is on target for that same number in 2023 . The deadline for Foodstock vendors to sign up is March 1 , but Ikerd is expecting a lot of returnees from last year ’ s event .
With the Kentucky Derby only one week after Foodstock , the event will once again incorporate themes celebrating the iconic horse race and Kentucky culture in general , noted Ikerd . That will be particularly the case for the live art component of the festival , while vendors have in the past decorated their space with Derby imagery .
One component of Foodstock in the past has been the busker musicians playing on the street . Fans vote for their favorite , and the winner gets to perform at the following fall ’ s Moonlight Festival . This year , however , the City of Somerset will do things a little differently by getting some of downtown ’ s most popular performance venues involved .
“ We ’ ve had a lot of feedback ... ( that people ) couldn ’ t hear the musicians , the buskers don ’ t typically have a stage ,” said Ikerd . “( This year ), we ’ ll work with Jarfly ( Brewing Co .) and the Mole Hole / Tipsy Toad . We ’ re going to have ( performances ) staggered throughout the day , we ’ ll have listed times when people can go into ( those businesses ) and hear the buskers
April 2023 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 33