eVENT GUIDE

YOUR 2026 FOOD TRUCK WARS CHEAT SHEET

Everything you need to know before you head to the Cloverdale Exhibition Grounds, April 10–12.

Food Truck Wars is back for another year, and it’s bigger than ever. Three days of food, live entertainment, contests, craft beverages, a massive artisan marketplace, and a fully loaded kid zone — all at one location, with free parking and tickets available by donation.

Whether you’ve been every year or this is your first time, here’s everything you need to plan your weekend.

The Basics

Cloverdale Exhibition Grounds — 6050 176 Street, Surrey, BC

Friday, April 10 — 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Saturday, April 11 — 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Sunday, April 12 — 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Free on-site parking with traffic control staff to guide you in. Accessible parking is available to those in need.

Tickets are available by donation, with partial proceeds going to our 2026 charity partner, White Rock South Surrey Titans Minor Football — a non-profit dedicated to giving youth aged 5–18 the opportunity to play football and cheerleading in the community.

The Food

This year we’re hosting 37+ of Greater Vancouver’s best food trucks, all competing for bragging rights and the chance to take home a trophy. Every truck is bringing their A-game with exclusive competition dishes you won’t find on their regular menus.

If you want to try as much as possible, look out for the $10 and under menu items. Many trucks bring snack-sized portions, sides, desserts, and competition specials at lower price points — perfect for doing a food crawl across the grounds.

Share dishes with your group. Think of it less like one big meal and more like a walking food tour.

Check out the full truck lineup and profiles at foodtruckwars.co/food-truck-lineup

Last Year’s Winners

If you want to know what winning looks like at Food Truck Wars, here’s who took home the hardware in 2025:

People’s Choice — Bao Buns
Best in Show — Frying Pan
Best Between Two Buns — Frying Pan
Best Meat Sweats — Guerilla Q
Best Creative Dish — Little Ooties
Best Vegetarian / Plant-Based — Dim Sum Express
Best Classic — Rotato Potato
Best International Fusion — Just Jerkin’ Around
Best Sweet Treat – Bao Buns

Some of these trucks are back for 2026. Whether they can defend their titles is a different story.

Eating Contests

Two fan-favourite contests return to the main stage this year:

Mini Donut Eating Contest — Friday, April 10 at 6:00 PM
(sponsored by Tin Lizzy Concessions)

Hot Dog Eating Contest — Saturday, April 11 at 3:00 PM
(sponsored by Next Gen. Concessions)

If you’ve never watched a competitive eating contest live, they get intense — and a little chaotic in the best way. Get to the main stage area early if you want a good view.

People’s Choice Award

This is the one award that isn’t up to the judges. The People’s Choice Award is decided entirely by you — the people who actually eat the food.

All trucks are eligible, and you get one vote per day. Try the food, walk the grounds, then scan the QR code on site or visit the voting page online and cast your vote. The truck with the most votes at the end of the weekend takes home the People’s Choice trophy — and serious bragging rights for the rest of the year.

Vote at foodtruckwars.co/vote

Main Stage Lineup

There’s live entertainment running all weekend. Here’s what’s happening on stage:

Friday

DJ Tony Diz | 3:00 – 6:00 PM
Mini Donut Eating Contest | 6:00 PM
DJ Tony Diz | 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Saturday

Sunday

Something’s always happening on stage, so even if you’re between trucks or waiting in a line, there’s a reason to hang around.

Beverage Garden

The Beverage Garden is run by Event Pour Co. and features local craft beer on tap alongside grab-and-go cans throughout the grounds.

On Draft (Main Bar)
Farm Country Lager
Farm Country Hazy Pale Ale
Farm Country Mango Coconut Sour

Grab in a Can (Main Bar + Market Tent)
Farm Country Lager
Nude — assorted flavours
Twisted Tea

The Market Tent bar carries cans only. The main bar has both draft and cans — so if you’re after something on tap, head to the main bar.

Kid Zone

The Kid Zone is expanded for 2026 and runs all weekend:

Giant 24-foot rock climbing wall, 9-hole mini golf course, face painting, chalk and colouring station, bubble station, inflatable animal hoppers, yard games, and more.

If you’re coming with kids, it’s easy to turn Food Truck Wars into a full afternoon — or a full day.

Artisan Marketplace

Beyond the food trucks, the grounds feature a large artisan marketplace with local vendors selling handmade goods, jewellery, candles, apparel, treats, and more. It’s a great way to support local small businesses while you’re between bites.

Timing Tips

The biggest mistake people make is trying to do everything at once. Here’s how to get the most out of your visit:

Mid-afternoon, around 2 to 4 PM, is the sweet spot — shorter lines, easier seating, more room to explore. Friday evening is the most relaxed entry point if you want to ease into the weekend. Saturday lunch and dinner will be the busiest stretch of the whole event. And since tickets are by donation, you can always come back a second or third day if you didn’t get to everything.

Our 2026 Partners

This event wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors:

Interested in partnering with us? Get in touch at foodtruckwars.co

See You There

Food Truck Wars only comes around once a year, and every year it gets a little bigger. Bring your appetite, bring your people, and come hungry.

Cloverdale Exhibition Grounds — 6050 176 Street, Surrey, BC
Grab your tickets at foodtruckwars.co
Follow along @gvfoodtruckfest