By Faith Miller
Plant City Main Street hosts a monthly ‘Last Friday’ event, inviting families to enjoy a variety of food trucks and vendors.
The event includes an average of 20-26 vendors along with eight to nine food trucks each month. The vendors range from homemade desserts, boutique apparel, cotton candy, fresh flowers, face painting, etc. The event is located in McCall Park at 100 N. Collins St. in downtown Plant City.
The event runs on the last Friday of each month, January through October. Each event has its own theme particular to that date. The list for upcoming themes are ‘Schools Out for Summer,’ ‘Dog Days of Summer,’ ‘Harry Potter’s Birthday,’ ‘Super Heroes,’ ‘Fall Festival’ and ‘Halloween.’ The event times are from 5-9 p.m.
There is an average of 2,500-5,000 residents attending the event each month, according to Plant City Main Street Executive Director Jerilyn Rumbarger. The atmosphere of the event is described as one that is enjoyable for all ages.
“We have worked really hard over the last few years to make this event unique each month,” Rumbarger said.
Due to the variety of vendors, there is always something new to try out each month. An example would be during a previous event when the theme was Pokémon and a vendor created an “edible Pikachu character out of peeps.”
“Each month, I try to support vendors that I didn’t get to support in the month before,” said Rumbarger. “I do like being surprised each month with how creative the vendors get with our theme.”
If you’re interested in becoming a vendor, applications are available through the Plant City Main Street website. The application fee is $15 and nonrefundable. If approved, there is a fee of $60 and the vendor is given a 10 x 10 ft. space to set up within. Vendors are asked to get supplies unloaded from vehicles between 3:30-3:45 p.m. and are asked to remove their vehicles from the site beginning at 4 p.m.
For more information regarding applying to be a vendor, please visit www.plantcitymainstreet.org. More information on the event is also available through its Facebook page, ‘Plant City Main Street.’
