Dunking booths, watermelon eating contests, local food vendors, face painting, unicycle football, live music. It sounds like a county fair right? Actually that’s what happens every time Foodstock rolls around.
The first time I attended Foodstock was on a whim. I’d heard about it from a musician performing at Wake the Dead and was enticed by the promise of free music. I ended up going and having a great time, sitting on the courthouse lawn taking in the live performances and meeting some cool people in the process. My experience there led me to apply for an internship at the Hays County Food Bank, and this time I went representing them.
Foodstock was different from this perspective, but still a blast. Unloading trucks in the hot sun can be a drag but seeing the families and people enjoying themselves and donating to a good cause was well worth it. Of course the Hays County Food Bank Rescue Rangers had to make an appearance and those that donned the cape and fruit costumes did a wonderful job of pumping up the crowd and representing HCFB. I’d never seen a carrot skateboarding until that day.
The music acts were great, I seldom see people actually dancing at concerts but people let loose and shook their groove things. I’d never heard of Del Castillo, but everyone seemed pumped to see them so I knew I had to give them a listen. Their groovin’ Latin tunes made everyone forget the heat and was a perfect way to close out the event.
The combination of people there was awesome, from politicians, to local business owners, to just the average Texas State student. It was cool to watch how all these different folks came together to have a good time and support their local food bank. It was perhaps the best representation of the community of Hays County I’ve seen since moving here. I came here to be a student, but the longer I stay the more I feel like I’ve found a home.
I’d be remiss not to thank Foodstock’s awesome sponsors. Thanks to Title Sponsor Little Guys Movers, Root Cellar, Tantra Coffeehouse, Print This, AAA Self Storage, Greenling, Tuttle Lumber, San Marcos Daily Record, Ender Productions, Main Street, and Grande Communications. This wonderful event couldn’t have happened without you!
-Zac Carlson
