Season 13 — The Return of the Daisy · Since 2014
Season 13
Founded by Alex Blackshire in 2014, the Chicago Food Truck Festival has grown into one of Chicago’s most beloved annual food celebrations. Today, we bring gourmet food trucks to the forefront across the city — from our main home in the South Loop to LaBagh Woods on the North Side — creating outdoor experiences filled with family, friends, and Chicago energy.
We celebrate Chicago’s diverse street food scene and bring communities together. Throughout the year, we transform the city into an outdoor tasting experience filled with gourmet food trucks, live music, and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere.
Food trucks are small businesses with big flavor. The festival champions these operators, connects them with new fans, and reminds Chicago how good it feels to eat great food together outdoors.
The through-line from Season 1 to Season 13.
We curate for quality and variety — from classic comfort food to global street eats — so every visit feels fresh and exciting.
Lawn chairs, strollers, and familiar faces every year. We’re built on neighbors sharing tables and vendors who remember your name.
Deep Southside and Northside roots, strong local partnerships, and pride in a city that takes its food seriously. We’re proud to be part of Chicago’s story.
South Loop and the North Side — same festival, different backdrops.
Season 13 — The Return of the Daisy is anchored in the South Loop, where we’ve built our biggest and best weekend editions in recent years.
We also host the Chicago Food Truck Festival® in LaBagh Woods on the North Side, bringing gourmet food trucks and live entertainment to the beautiful Cook County forest preserve.
2018 · Monumental Chicago moment
In 2018, the Chicago Food Truck Festival® took over Gallagher Way outside historic Wrigley Field for Budweiser’s Taste of Summer. It was a rare ballpark-scale event that brought food trucks to one of Chicago’s most iconic sports and culture spots.
From the Sox ballpark lot to Wrigley Field, the South Loop, LaBagh Woods on the North Side, and back — through Season 13: The Return of the Daisy.
Alex Blackshire launched the inaugural Chicago Food Truck Festival outside U.S. Cellular Field (now Guaranteed Rate Field). The strong turnout revealed important early lessons in operations and scaling.
We moved the festival to the South Loop, made general admission free, and expanded the number of trucks. U.S. Senator Mark Kirk visited the event and highlighted Chicago’s strict mobile food regulations.
We produced Budweiser’s Taste of Summer: Chicago Food Truck Festival at Gallagher Way outside historic Wrigley Field — bringing food trucks to one of Chicago’s most iconic sports locations.
The festival grew steadily in the South Loop, hosting up to 72 food vendors and live entertainment while building strong local recognition.
Like many live events, we paused during the COVID-19 pandemic and returned with a renewed focus on safety and supporting small businesses.
Recent seasons featured collaborations with the Chicago Margarita Festival, strong media coverage, and record South Loop crowds — including our 12th annual event in 2025.
This year we celebrate Season 13 with the theme “The Return of the Daisy.” Join us June 20–21 in the South Loop for gourmet food trucks, live music, and community vibes.
Why a dedicated festival still matters in this city.
Chicago has some of the stricter food truck rules in the U.S. Trucks generally cannot park within 200 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant and must use GPS tracking for city reporting. These rules were upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2019, which is why permitted festivals like ours provide a vital space for many trucks to operate successfully.
Because of Chicago’s strict rules, a permitted festival like ours is one of the few places where dozens of food trucks can serve thousands of guests comfortably — with space for lines, music, and families relaxing on the lawn. This is the experience we work hard to create.
Our largest South Loop events have featured up to 72 food vendors. Across all seasons, we’ve welcomed roughly 520,000 foodies in total.
Had a blast at the Chicago Food Truck Festival! Lobster sandwich, grill cheese lobster, jerk shrimp, jerk chicken…
Press and references that informed this page. Links open in a new tab.
Real trucks, real crowds, real Chicago.
Season 13 — The Return of the Daisy · June 20–21, 2026 · South Loop