Cruz Bay made way for food trucks to come out to play at the 2026 Food Truck Festival. It was the second year the event took over the public parking lot near the Customs house, offering snacks, meals, drinks and specialty items as well as musical entertainment on a nearby stage.
It was also the fourth year that Chief Festival Organizer Dior Parsons brought together business owners from St. Thomas and St. John to tempt the palates of residents and visitors at the height of tourist season. Despite a modest turnout on Friday and Saturday, Parsons said she was glad to see vendors returning year after year and was hoping for a big finish with Sunday’s Gospel Explosion.
Parsons, along with half a dozen vendors, hastened preparations on Sunday afternoon. Some paused to share their tales about why they chose food service as a business, and how running food trucks and food stands fit into their long-range plans.
The scene at Janelia’s Pot featured a husband and wife, mother-in-law and a flock of little ones. Janelia James Pittman — a trained chef — said she entered the food truck business after her daughter’s medical misfortunes led her into fundraising. “ I’m a 14- year chef, so it comes a lot of work, dedication, of course, and sacrifices. So what made me start doing this? My daughter was in a very bad car accident. I started doing food sales fundraisers. And then I moved home and then a nice chef told me, ‘Hey, you need to get into the catering business,” she said.
Eustace Weekes tidied up his familiar red mobile stand called Hot on the Spot and hugged a relative — a performer in the Gospel show — as they made their way to the stage. Weekes said the weekend marked his fourth year appearing at the St. John Food Truck Festival.
“ … We’re just doing good in the community. We help out. We give donations, we do sponsors, you know, we just do stuff, you know? So how about we do it, we just keep going stronger, and we just, you know, young people come do the same thing, you know, buy food trucks, do your own business, do your own thing. and make it happen,” he said.
Long lines of hungry patrons can frequently be seen when Hot on the Spot shows up at the St. Thomas Carnival Food Fair. Orders for lobster, chicken and other menu favorites are already being placed for April, he said.
“Hot on the Spot is wherever the spot is hot, we’re gonna be there,” Weekes said.
Perched on the doorway of her panel truck, Phylecia Boney said she’d like to have a food truck one day, but Sidewalk Grill Express — her food stand — gave her the means to satisfy customers with homemade beef and salmon burgers.
“ I was passionate for homemade burgers, from scratch. Remember a long time, like Crazy Cow? I’m not as good as them, but I’m good,” Boney said.
And Osbert Liburd said his lemonade stand was his third mobile food stand, featuring the citrusy libation in different iterations, including one called blueberry mania. “I’ve been in business for 40 years. Yeah, about … I almost bought about 35. I’ve been in business from when I was 14,” Liburd said.
A former owner of a brick-and-mortar eatery, he described the advantage of food cart vending. “The cart is more of you; you’re carrying the product to the people, the brick and mortar, the people have to come and find you. And sometimes you don’t have a great spot. But to these events, you know, you have a good crowd coming out,” he said.
And Jasmine Mahabir, owner of the food stand Jas Spot, spent Sunday preparing Lobster egg rolls, a fan favorite.
