By Tara Hall

July 7, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Food trucks are more than just a phenomenon, they’re a social movement

What was once the domain of fried potatoes and tubular meat products has undergone a culinary revolution. Food trucks are more than just a phenomenon or fad. They represent a new social movement in the culinary world and deserve a place in the foodscape of a vibrant community.

The rise of the gourmet food truck movement began early this century with the economic downtown in the United States. There was a convergence of opportunities. A drop in housing and construction saw mobile food vehicles that had once served the construction sites go under.

Restaurants felt the pinch as the economy slowed and were laying off staff, and frugal consumers were looking for inexpensive meals. Unemployed chefs, cheap trucks and thrifty consumers made the gourmet food truck an opportunity to cash in on.

Less than a decade since, IBISWorld research estimates that there are more than 4,000 food trucks operating in the United States and they have out-performed the rest of the food industry. The movement came to Canada about five years ago.

Niagara’s el Gastronomo Vagabundo, started operation in 2010 and is widely regarded as the first gourmet food truck in Canada and certainly a pioneer in Ontario’s growing food truck movement. It is a movement that has already established a hold in Golden Horseshoe communities outside of Burlington and contributes to their status as culinary destinations for foodies.

In today’s consumer culture we buy the signs and ideas more so than the commodity itself. In the case of food we’re not buying sustenance, we’re buying, local, organic, vegan, exotic, fusion, gourmet, authentic, exclusive, trendy, ethical, artisanal sustenance.

This shift in the culinary world is not about food trucks. Rather, the foodie culture has been a growing movement and smart restauranteurs recognize the trends. There has been democratization of the food world at the consumer end where foodies seek authentic, exotic, ethical or gourmet food but a bricks and mortar restaurant, whether it’s hole-in-the-wall or haute cuisine, is where you’ve needed to go to get it.

Food trucks, however, represent a democratization at the production end. Food truckers have brought all the caché foodie consumers seek to a mobile space that comes to a street near you. The trucks come with gourmet food, bright colours, amusing names, and a buzz created by social media.

The trucks often pay homage to the cuisine, cooking techniques or food represented. There is a playful imitation of gourmet or comfort food but in a way that celebrates the original. Comfort food like grilled cheese is elevated with gourmet artisanal ingredients. A blurring of culinary genres is a common food truck theme as evidenced by Asian tacos with kimchi or a truck dedicated to noodles from all culinary traditions.

Foodies, seeking that authentic, exotic, ethical or gourmet food now have another place to get it. Restaurant associations, rather than welcoming the culinary newcomers have lobbied municipalities for restrictive by-laws that limit them. In some cities entire zones are off limits for food trucks and although another restaurant can open up next door a food truck can’t operate for the afternoon within a specified buffer zone. What the restaurant associations don’t realize is that if a foodie wants a food truck experience they will find a food truck. If they want a Michelin star experience they will find a Michelin star restaurant. That is a part of what the foodie culture is about.

As for food truckers, they’re a plucky lot. Food truck operators in Ontario formed an association of their own to lobby for better access to streets and parks. They founded locations in some communities with access for all food trucks, and participate in food truck rallies where they come together and operate as a collective attraction.

Their marketing techniques are primarily through social media and cross promote other trucks. Some are fine to stay on the road while others may look at the truck as a stepping stone to a bricks and mortar operation. Just down the road in food truck friendly Hamilton, at least three food trucks are opening restaurants in the community.

Although meeting with resistance from traditional restaurants, and municipal politics, the renegade restaurants on wheels are a growing success and a movement that’s here to stay.

Indeed they are – the design of the Beachway Park – that we won’t see for at least ten years includes Food Trucks that will cater to the thousands of people who will use that park.

About the author:

I am not in the food truck or any food service industry, nor do I have family or friends in the industry. I work in municipal government for the City of Hamilton. The research I based the op-ed on was conducted as part of my studies towards a Masters of Arts in Intercultural and International Communications through Royal Roads University in Victoria. It’s based on a project that I completed for a Public Culture course where I looked at the food truck movement in Southern Ontario from a postmodern perspective.

By Pepper Parr

July 6, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

Robert Missen doesn’t speak – he gushes.

Words tumble out of him – he has so much he wants to say and the passion behind his words is palpable – so it was no surprise that the launch of the Lowville Festival was going to be – well extensive.

Lowville? Sure – everyone wants to be in Spencer Smith Park where the crowds have lots of room.

Missen calls Lowville a hamlet – could be, it is certainly a community with its own identity that it does not appreciate people trifling with. They do things differently up there.

Bronte Creek runs through the community and God help anyone foolish enough tio dump trash into the part of the creek that runs through Lowville.

Missen tells the story of the launch this way: “The hills and dales of north Burlington’s beautiful Escarpment country will be alive this summer with the sounds of music, theatre, dance and spoken word.; Told ya – he gushes.

And he has a lot to gush about – check the lineup- Gordie Tapp will perform,  Stuart Laughton will perform (you don’t know who Laughton is? you will once you hear him)

The inaugural Lowville Festival will feature many of Lowville and Burlington’s finest performers, as well as a number of the country’s most superb artists.

The Festival will begin on Thursday July 16th with an open-air performance of Shakespeare’s HAMLET, presented by Toronto’s Driftwood Theatre. A special free workshop takes place that afternoon.
On Friday July 17th, the festival will kick into high gear with a gala benefit concert called SWINGIN’ ON A STAR at St. George’s Anglican Hall.

The first half of the concert will celebrate a wide variety of Burlington performers, including Stuart Laughton, this year’s Burlington Hall of Fame Award winner, and Charles Cozens, one of the country’s finest conductor/arrangers.

The second half is a salute to the 100th birthday of Frank Sinatra, the 20th century’s finest pop singer. The concert also marks the launch of the Lowville Festival Choir under the direction of Wayne Strongman, former conductor of Hamilton’s Bach Elgar Choir.

Saturday’s activities will take place in Lowville’s Victorian schoolhouse, located right in the centre of the hamlet of Lowville. Both concerts will be curated by Burlington singer-songwriter Andy Griffiths.

The festival concludes on Sunday with three unique events.

In the morning, Kilbride’s Anna Schantz, a specialist teacher in Nia Dance, will lead a special free dance fitness experience in Music, Movement, and Magic .

The legendary Burlington entertainer Gordie Tapp headlines FOR LOVE OF LOWVILLE, a celebration of the history and environment in and around Lowville, to be held in Lowville United Church on Sunday afternoon. He will be joined by local novelist Janet Turpin Myers and blues singer Melissa Bel, among other performers.

The festival finale, SUMMER SERENADE, also at St. George’s Hall, will feature a range of classical and musical theatre artists, including Rebecca Caine, star of Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera, and virtuoso Oakville cellist Rachel Mercer. The festival will conclude with a special tribute to The Sound of Music.

The Lowville Festival is the vision of two Burlington performing artists, Lorretta Bailey, a Lowville resident, who has performed in musical theatre productions across Canada, including the original Toronto production of Les Miserables, and Robert Missen, proprietor of the Bobolink Agency,

These days everyone collaborates or has partners – the festival has partnered with Thinkspot, Ticketpro and Robert Lowrey, Piano Experts – these are the Official Festival Sponsors.

The city of Burlington gets a nod for its support under its Love My Hood initiative. The proters have a very special thanks for both Lowville United Church and St. George’s Anglican Church Lowville, whose support for the festival has been invaluable.

The Lowville Festival has a unique mandate- A festival of all the arts for the artist in all of us.
For more information contact Robert Missen at 905-632-6047 or rmissen@sympatico.ca

The events break out this way:

DRIFTWOOD THEATRE WORKSHOP
THURSDAY JULY 16 2:30 pm
6210 LOWVILLE PARK ROAD

Driftwood Theatre offers a free workshop and opportunity to perform in the evening’s performance of HAMLET. Contact www.thinkspot.ca to sign up.

DRIFTWOOD THEATRE’S HAMLET
THURSDAY JULY 16TH 6 pm Doors Open. 7:30 Show commences.
6210 LOWVILLE PARK ROAD

Shakespeare’s royal murder mystery featuring some of the most famous lines in theatre unfolds for audiences outdoors in beautiful Lowville Park. Driftwood Theatre. Toronto’s professional touring company, is offering this classic play for a Suggested Ticket Price of $20 or Pay What You Can.
Sponsored by THINKSPOT

SWINGIN’ ON A STAR
FRIDAY JULY 17, 2015 7:30 PM
ST. GEORGE’S PARISH HALL

Loretta Bailey and Robert Missen, hosts.
Artists include Stuart Laughton, Renee Barabash, Andy Griffiths, Dacid Warrack, Lorraine Foreman, Michael Mulrooney, Jude Johnson, Charles Cozens, Wayne Strongman and the Lowville Festival Choir,

The first Lowville Festival with a Gala Concert featuring a wide range of superlative performers, most of whom hail from Burlington.

Classical, pop, jazz, blues, folk, musical theatre. The second half of the concert will be a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Frank Sinatra. Proceeds from this benefit concert will be dedicated to the establishment of the festival.

$25 ADVANCE/$30 AT THE DOOR

MY CAT FLASH’S SOPHISTICATED SONGS FOR KIDS
SATURDAY JULY 18TH 2 PM
LOWVILLE SCHOOLHOUSE

ANDY GRIFFITHS and FRANK KOREN
Burlington singer-songwriter Andy Griffiths launches his new kids’ show, which will also entertain the kid in all of us.

$10

ROOTS N’ ROLL: ACOUSTIC ROOTS IN THE OLD SCHOOLHOUSE
SATURDAY JULY 18TH 8 PM
LOWVILLE SCHOOLHOUSE

Andy Griffiths and Frank Koren and Kim

Join Andy and his Burlington musical friends for an intimate evening with local songwriters in the Victorian stone schoolhouse in the centre of Lowville.

$20

SUNDAY JULY 19TH 11 AM
LOWVILLE PARK, between the playground and the creek,
under the trees
ADMISSION FREE

NIA is a joyful, mindful, and expressive physical conditioning practice, incorporating moves from dance, martial arts, yoga and other alignment arts, as well as individualized, free form movement. NIA offers fun and fitness to men and women of all ages and fitness abilities. Join Nia Black Belt teacher Anna Schantz for a NIA dance fitness experience in Music, Movement, and Magic. Theme: Psychedelic Sunday. Bare feet, hippie attire, and flowers most welcome. Suitable for everybody. www.nianow.com

FOR LOVE OF LOWVILLE
SUNDAY JULY 19TH 2 PM
LOWVILLE UNITED CHURCH

Lorretta Bailey and Robert Misen, hosts

Artists include Melissa Bel, Janet Turpin Myers, Loraine Foreman, Jude Johnson, Lorreta Bailey, Robert Missen and Daryl Webber.

Special Guest: GORDIE TAPP

Celebrating the rich historical and Escarpment heritage of the hamlet of Lowville in a concert that combines music and the spoken word. Local musicians Melissa Bel and Lorretta Bailey are joined by novelist Janet Turpin Myers. Legendary Burlington entertainer Gordie Tapp, formerly of Lowville, will be reunited with Lorraine Foreman, his colleague on Country Hoedown, one of the most popular Canadian television shows of the fifties.

$20 ADVANCE/$25 AT THE DOOR

SUMMER SERENADE
SUNDAY JULY 19TH 7:30 PM
ST. GEORGE’S PARISH HALL

ROBERT MISSEN is hosting this event.
Artists include Rebecca Caine, soprano; Robert Kortgaard , piano; Rachel Mercer, cello; Stuart Laughton, trumpet; Renee Barabash, piano; Michael Mulrooney,  piano

Missen says rhey will be bringing  the inaugural festival to a glorious conclusion (I did say he gushs) with a concert featuring some of the country’s finest classical and musical theatre artists. Rebecca Caine, the original Cosette in Les Miserables and star of the Toronto production of Phantom of the Opera; Oakville-born cellist Rachel Mercer; and virtuoso trumpeter Stuart Laughton will present a concert featuring Bach, Chopin and Schafer as well as a special tribute to The Sound of Music.

$25 ADVANCE/$30 AT THE DOOR

Lowville doesn’t see this much action even during the Winter Carnival.  Getting around Lowville is easy once you know where you are going.

The United Church is at the corner of Guelph Line and Britannia Road with a decent parking lot behind the church.

St. Georges isn’t actually in Lowville, it isn’t even in Burlington. It is on Guelph Line just above Derry Road – can’t miss the place – it is a beautiful stone building built in 1896

Tckets can be had on line at Ticketpro

Available at the door – but cash only.