When 30 marketplace vendors, 21 food trucks, superhero and Disney characters, a live deejay and a caricature artist descend upon the Tanger Outlets for The Greater Pooler Area Chamber of Commerce 2021 Food Truck Festival and Marketplace, even I could not imagine that over 10,000 people would be joining me!
Waiting for me to arrive is my new intern Jaida Maceyko, a blue haired Savannah Tech film student who is amped up about the opportunity to snap pics of people like Shivam Patel with his brother Harsh and friend Yash.
I ask the good looking locals on who is the wittiest, smartest and best looking — they admit they are each of these adjectives!
Next up Effingham County natives John and Amy Lowe are telling me about their commercial sign business, their love of motorcycles, boats and Jeep Gladiators when I see WJCL-TV evening anchor Shannon Royster walk by.
Proud to see the Pooler resident out supporting these local businesses, I ask her to walk over to meet the Pooler Chamber team with me. Little did Shannon know that it would be an hour before we made 40 feet to their tent because I am seeing everyone from Pooler photographer Tom Reimer, cute couple Joyce and Robert McBride and Woof Gang Bakery’s David and Michelle Pence.
Proud to hear that the uber-attractive couple are the gold level sponsors, David tells me, “Can you believe how many people are here; this is fantastic!” David then asks if I have heard of the Ardsley Park Station community Ice Cream Social and Puppy Parade he is doing with Ardsley Park Living Magazine with Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream truck.
Bypassing table after table filled with handcrafted soaps and fresh produce, boutique clothing and a 360 photo booth, I sneak inside Molly’s McPherson’s food truck and find perennially cryptic Daniel Cloutier manning a fryer filled with fish and chips. It is a super tight space to ask his son Cody and Daniel’s “other son” Kevin Youmans for a pic, but it’s worth it when they offer me a mac-n-cheese bowl minus the lobster.
After an hour of meeting dozens of foodies, I find the Pooler Chamber booth and take a seat to chill out. Lucky for me Robert Todd recognizes my need for cold water and cool cloth! Thanking my tall sometimes stoic friend, I head over to tell his fellow board members that it’s photo time!
Chamber executive director Pam Southard along with Susan Sewell, Tameka Moultrie and Conni Reynolds wait for photo resistant Susan Eiseman to squeeze together for my favorite group pic before I get called over to take a pic of Pooler superstar Whitney Gilliard. This petite powerhouse burst onto the scene and hasn’t stopped changing lives by running Gilliard & Co., a foster care housing organization and the Chocolate Martini Bar, helping the Pooler Lions Club establish a 501c3 and has plans to pitch a foster care awareness proclamation to City of Pooler.
Walking by are Garden City Police Department Det. Sgt. Roberto Rodriguez and Pooler Police Department Det. Tanja Kimmons. Super cool about posing for a pic, the officers get amped when learning that they are both from south Florida and I head over to talk with the queen of all things Pooler, Courtney Rawlins.
The Buy Local President handles production management for SMG Advertising & Film and is the Event Committee Chair for the Pooler Chamber Board of Directors.
“We are back! This is the first of many events we are planning for families and businesses. From business after hours networking, sunset shopping and the Patriot’s Day Festival - Pooler is open for business!,” shares the bubbly extrovert.
After an invite from GAPCC’s Executive Director Pam Southard to Patriot’s Day Festival complete with food trucks, fireworks, amusement, marketplace vendors and legendary Liquid Ginger on September 11, Pam tells me, “This festival is a way for our vendors to recoup 2020 losses and gave our residents and tourists a fun filled day — today is a win-win for everyone!”
Cue the lights! Standing ovation to this proud director and her team for giving the community a jump start into a summer that will be filled with festivals, events and gatherings.
Invite Bunny to your gathering, gala or other social event. Contact Bunny at 912-844-1122 or email her at bunnyware@aol.com. See more columns by Bunny Ware at SavannahNow.com/Lifestyle/.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Bunny Ware: Pooler food truck festival brings out thousands for fun
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