Proud parents of foodies, this one is for you: The tasty Main Street Food Truck Festival rolls into downtown Little Rock on Oct. 6 for its second year after gathering an estimated 5,000 people last year. The focus of the festival remains to bring mobile food vendors together, but the event also has another purpose—to draw attention to the once-thriving, now desolate Main Street.

“We wanted to bring some life into Main Street, and it was obvious that we needed to have more people down here,” says Downtown Little Rock Partnership Executive Director Sharon Priest. “The whole point is to get people comfortable with being on Main Street, because nobody’s been on Main Street for a long time.”

As your family explores new downtown developments and the flock of food trucks, look for these can’t-miss activities, flavors and more.

FOOD

If you visited the fest last year, there’s at least one thing you probably experienced—long lines. The unexpected success unfortunately made for a less-than-family-friendly experience, but organizers hope they’ve worked out the kinks this time around. According to Priest, the festival has doubled the number of food trucks (with 30 and counting as of press time); expect shorter lines and fewer “sold-out” signs.

Priest also wants customers to understand that each order is made fresh: “‘Food truck’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘fast food,’” she explains.

Chellie Castellanos, Events Director at Downtown Little Rock Partnership, is in charge of scouting new meals on wheels to add to the lineup, and attests that this year will be full of flavor, from international cuisines to down-home favorites.

Taste Asian fusion dishes from The Southern Gourmasian, tacos from Mexicana Alicia's, barbeque from the beach-themed Bryant’s BBQ truck and, of course, dogs from Hot Dog Mike. Castellanos is particularly excited for the gumbo and shrimp boil from Mud Bugs. And she says that families shouldn’t leave without visiting The Sugar Shack Sweets & Treats. Their specialty? Cupcakes, cake pops, caramel cookies and more.

ACTIVITIES

The organizers will also introduce a brand-new feature at the 2012 event—the Heifer International Family and Children’s Area, located at Main and 6th Streets. With the help of volunteers from EStem, Heifer will lead activities and workshops about food, entrepreneurship and the effect that buying local has on an individual’s consumer footprint. Visit 10 different stations to learn how the idea of food trucks as local entrepreneurs ties into Heifer’s Think Global, Buy Local initiatives. Along the way, kids will play games and make crafts to take home.

SHOPPING

The Arkansas Repertory Theatre will once again hold a costume sale on the day of the festival. They’ll open their doors from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. to purge old props, costumes and even wedding dresses from previous productions.

Plus, visitors can shop more than 30 booths from Etsy Little Rock, the local chapter of the go-to website for buying crafts and handmade goods. Local artists and makers will be selling their wares; pick up posters and art from Roll & Tumble Press, delicate jewelry from Dimestore Diamonds, hair bows from OriginaliTee, yarn from The Twisted Purl Handmade Yarn and much more.

As Priest puts it, “wouldn’t it be nice if Main Street was known as the place to go if you wanted something different and unique and Arkansas?”