After two successful combination food truck/music festival/car shows in Livingston Parish in 2021 and 2022, organizer Scott Innes is bringing his concept across the bridge.
The inaugural West Baton Rouge Food Truck Festival & Car Show will take place Saturday, Oct. 29, in Port Allen, Innes announced Tuesday.
The date is an open one for LSU football, and the weekend leading into Halloween.
Neal McCoy headlines the music portion of the first West Baton Rouge Food Truck Festival & Car Show in Port Allen. McCoy is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. Saturday.
"I love the Westside," Innes said, noting he lived there for 15 years. "It's a great area, a great little town, and it's a great hidden gem, and a lot of people don't realize the history of Port Allen and all that stuff."
"I wanted to help the folks over there come up with something that we could really grow on, year after year," he said.
Innes said he'll use the same footprint as the Livingston Parish event in mid-June, and that includes music.
Headlining will be country star Neal McCoy, whose singles "No Doubt About It" and "Wink" were back-to-back No. 1 country hits in 1994. McCoy has released 10 studio albums and 34 singles. He last charted with 2005's "Billy's Got His Beer Goggles On," which reached No. 10, and was featured on his self-released album, "That's Life." In 2010, Neal's book, "A New Mountain to Climb: Heroes I've Met and the Mountains They Climb Every Day," was published.
"He just puts on an amazing show," Innes said.
Louisiana zydeco artist and bandleader Chubby Carrier, and Cajun singer-songwriter Wayne Toups round out the fest's three major acts. Also scheduled to perform are area talent Konner James, Ashton Gill, Clifton Brown and the Rusty Bucket Band, Thomas Cain, Ben Ragsdale and Mason Shows.
They'll take the stage throughout the afternoon and into the evening at the West Baton Rouge Convention & Visitors Bureau's outdoor field, 2750 N. Westport Drive. The bureau, along with West Baton Rouge parish government and the Port Allen Chamber of Commerce, are assisting in organizing the festival.
Innes expects 25 trucks selling food, and 350 cars in the daytime show presented by Southern Muscle American Car & Truck Club.
In addition, WBR parish government is sponsoring a kids zone with children's activities.
Thanks to sponsors including Dow Chemical and ServPro, admission to the festival is free. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and umbrellas.
For festival updates in the coming weeks, check Cajun Country Jam's Facebook page.
