Cottage Grove’s inaugural Food Truck Festival is going to be held on Saturday, Sept. 16 in Kingston Park, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The budget was approved on June 27 on a vote by the Convention & Visitor Bureau (CVB), 5-0.

While the festival is going to take place and is expected to be a success, some budget concerns were raised at the meeting. Since this is the first time the event has taken place, the budget as it stands is an issue of concern. Balancing known up-front costs against the unknown assumed revenue currently shows expenses of $13,650 and revenue projections of $11,750, leaving a possible shortfall of nearly $2,000 for the event.

Assistant to the City Administrator Jamie Mann presented the budget proposal, detailing the expected expenses and potential revenue. She said the city continues to reach out to local businesses and organizations asking for sponsorship, but as of now the profitability of the event is not guaranteed.

Among the major costs are live music performers, stage/sound, and tents for attendees, in total comprising approximately three-fourths of the budget at $9,650. The largest revenue stream will be from reservation fees by food trucks wishing to serve food and participate in the event, currently projected at $8,750. The potential revenue that is unknown is from the Lions Club beer tent sales, which is dependent on how many residents ultimately attend and purchase alcohol during the festival.

Mann said, “The revenue is slightly less than the expense, but we do expect more revenue to come in. But with no historical data, it’s hard to project what those numbers will end up as.”

CVB Chair Steve Dennis suggested that the Cottage Grove Lions have traditionally been very generous with any profits raised at local events in which they participate. He also raised the possibility of potentially seeking performers who might be willing to donate their time to close the budget gap.

Vice Chair Justin Olsen, a member of the Cottage Grove Lions, said the organization generally tries to recoup costs and then donate the remainder for events like this. He said they had also discussed the possibility of the Lions also selling food to boost revenue, but as it’s a food truck festival they didn’t want to take food sales away from paying vendors.

Olsen emphasized the importance of providing quality entertainment for an event like this, saying, “Entertainment is kind of a big deal for the people that are in the park. You don’t just want it to be quiet.” He added, “That will help us keep the energy level up in the park, and hopefully get people in the right mood to maybe buy one two of our beverages, and that just means more money for the CVB.”

Using the same site as this summer’s highly attended Strawberry Fest, the city hopes to bring members of the community together again for food, drinks, and live music. The free-entry event will be hosted by Discover Cottage Grove and is currently scheduled to be sponsored by the Cottage Grove Lions, the Dodge Nature Center, 3M, Tennis Sanitation, and the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce.

Local events in Cottage Grove traditionally generate a strong turnout of local residents, and the city is hoping to make this one a success on its first time out. For those who enjoy a variety of food options, beverages, and live music, the Sept. 16 Food Truck Festival in Kingston Park should definitely be put on the calendar.