City Councilor Zaida Govan, Staff Director for state Rep. Orlando Ramos and School Committee member Ayanna Crawford and State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez’s legislative aide, Eliana Gutierrez, stand in front of the Carlos Pinchos food truck at Myrtle Park.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
SPRINGFIELD — October in Indian Orchard brings the annual Food Truck Festival to Myrtle Park. This year, the festival celebrates 10 years with two days of games, music and, of course, food on Oct. 10 and 11.
“It’s the 10th annual, and I’m so excited,” said City Councilor Zaida Govan, who partnered with State Rep. Orlando Ramos to create the festival in 2016. “It’s been a labor of love.”
Govan said the festival has grown over the years, both in terms of the number of food trucks it attracts and in the variety of activities that are offered. Families will find face painting, arts and crafts and a video game truck. This year, for the first time, the festival will include a basketball tournament on the park’s court. While the festival has plenty to celebrate, organizers will take time to remember Kevin Spivey, widely known as DJ KLS, who died in October 2025.
As they do each year, members of the Indian Orchard Citizens’ Council’s Youth Council have volunteered to staff the event. “We do pumpkins, arts and crafts, we help the vendors set up,” said one Youth Council volunteer who had participated in the festival for most of its history. Jeremi Thibeault, another Youth Council volunteer, said, “We got some activities like painting, henna. We have games like tic-tac-toe.”
This year’s food truck line-up includes MADD Eats, Rodney’s Spice Kitchen, MJ’s Steak and Cheese, Mac N Eats, Batch ice cream, Carlos Pinchos, Boricua Bites, Snacc Pacc and Aquime Quendo. The food trucks set their own prices, but the festival is free and open to the public.
Govan said that planning the festival was difficult this year, particularly as the inflation-wracked economy has led to significantly higher costs. “It usually costs about $30,000,” she said. “It was almost $40,000 this year.” She largely cited rental costs for items such as the stage, sound equipment and video game truck.
The festival is funded, in part, through a $20,000 state earmark secured by the House of Representatives Springfield delegation, which includes Ramos, Carlos Gonzalez, Brian Ashe and Angelo Puppolo. The Indian Orchard Citizens’ Council fundraises and gathers business sponsorships to cover the rest of the cost.
Govan said the festival may have to be scaled back to one day if inflation continues to push costs higher, but she expressed reluctance to make that change. “It’s a service we provide for the community,” she said.
