Remember the days before food trucks were ubiquitous in Little Rock? Before they were fixtures at every outdoor festival and event and had regular spots where they stopped throughout town? Remember when mobile vendor Hot Dog Mike (RIP — the business, we mean) was novel enough that TV news let him talk about hot dog specials almost weekly on air? There’ve been delicious taco trucks and barbecue rigs in Southwest Arkansas and elsewhere for years, but it’s only been since around 2010 that the broader food truck culture took hold here. The good folks at the Downtown Little Rock Partnership caught on fairly early, and started the Main Street Food Truck Festival in 2011. That first year, fewer than 20 trucks showed up. On Saturday, Sept. 24, there are three times that scheduled to attend. Plus, the Budweiser Clydesdales will be on hand for photo ops, artists will be at work, Heifer International and ACANSA will provide kids activities and there’ll be a beer garden. Also, studioMAIN and members of the Downtown Partnership Financial Quarter Group will host a “pop-up” from Center to Spring streets on Capitol Avenue as a way to imagine that area reinvigorated. The festival runs from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Main Street will be blocked off from Third to Ninth streets. Admission is free.
Almost Famous (Conway) Cajun and Creole food.
Banana Leaf (Little Rock) Indian food.
BeauxJax (Shreveport, La.) Cajun food.
Beavertails (Fayetteville) Pastry, hot dogs, poutine.
BlackHound Bar-B-Q (Jacksonville) Barbecue.
Bragg’s Big Bites (Mabelvale) Buffalo fish, ribs.
Burger Shack (Benton) Burgers, fried chips.
Brown Sugar Bakeshop (North Little Rock) Desserts.
Bryant’s BBQ & Catering (Little Rock) Jamaican jerk meats, barbecue, catfish.
Cheto’s Authentic Mex (Paron) Mexican food.
Clean Eatery (Little Rock) Health food.
Dusty’s Crawfish & Shrimp (Hot Springs) Crawfish, shrimp, frog legs.
Eat My Catfish (Benton) Catfish, chicken, shrimp.
El Buen Gusto (Benton) Latino food.
Excaliburger (Little Rock) Gourmet burgers, chicken sandwiches.
Fathead BBQ Etc. (Alexander) Barbecue pork, chicken, catfish.
Fork in the Road (Little Rock) Gourmet American food.
Garrett’s Funnel Cakes & More (Hot Springs) Cotton candy, funnel cakes, corn dogs.
Hall’s Southern Express (Sherwood) Southern food, including deep-fried chicken and dressing, oxtail soup and turnip greens.
Haygood’s BBQ Concession (Little Rock) Barbecue.
Hot Rod Wieners (Austin) Gourmet hot dogs.
Jackie’s Mobile Cafe (Little Rock) Southern food, burgers.
Katmandu Momo (Little Rock) Nepalese dumplings.
King Blvd. (Little Rock) Burgers and Philly cheesesteaks.
Kitchen On Wheels (Pine Bluff) Gourmet smoked sausage, Philly cheesesteak.
Kona Ice of WLR (Conway) Tropical shaved ice.
Kristina’s Hawaiian Ice (Maumelle) Shaved ice, fruit smoothies.
Las Elotes (Little Rock) Mexican corn.
Little Penguin Tacos (Arkadelphia) Tacos, burritos, quesadillas.
Le Pops (Little Rock) Gourmet popsicles.
Loblolly Creamery (Little Rock) Homemade ice cream.
Luncheria Mexicana Alicia (Little Rock) Mexican food.
Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies (Sherwood) Hawaiian smoothies.
No Buns BBQ (Salem) Barbecue cooked with Ozark wood.
Ocko’s Hibachi Island (Little Rock) Japanese food.
Official’s Catering (Hot Springs) Soul food.
Our Family Catering (North Little Rock) Grilled pork chops, chopped pork.
Philly Phresh Water Ice (Little Rock) Italian ice, pizza, pretzels.
Red River Catering (Judsonia) Barbecue, catfish, sliders.
Reggae Flavas (Beebe) Jerk chicken, quesadillas.
Repicci’s Italian Ice of Little Rock (Little Rock) Hand-dipped Italian ice.
Roxie’s Hot Dogs (Jacksonville) Polish sausage, hot dogs, Frito pie.
Roxy’s Twisted Sandwiches (Conway) Twisted sandwiches.
Sandra Rose Kitchen (Little Rock) Cajun seafood.
Slader’s Alaskan Dumpling Co. (Searcy) Alaskan dumplings.
Smurfey’s Smokehouse (Memphis) Barbecue.
The Southern Gourmasian (Little Rock) Southern Asian specialties.
Southern Salt Food Company (Little Rock) Asian barbecue and Southern fusion.
Stevie’s Fish & Chicken (North Little Rock) Stuffed wings, fried chicken, fish and pork chops.
Sugarush Snoballs (Maumelle) New Orleans-style shaved ice.
Sweet Tea Kitchen & Coffee Spot (Mulberry) Tea, coffee, Wafflewiches.
Taquiera Jalisco San Juan (Little Rock) Mexican food.
The Crispy Chicken (Little Rock) Chicken strips, chicken wings.
The Velvet Whisk Cheesecakery (Little Rock) Cheesecakes.
The WunderBus (Conway) German/Eastern European food.
Tommy’s Grill (Little Rock) Burgers, chicken, catfish, barbecue.
TNT BBQ (North Little Rock) Chicken and beef cheesesteaks.
Wok ‘n Roll (Pottsville) Southeast Asian street food.