Out of all of the events that the City of Oakley puts on over the summer, our personal favorite have to be the Friday Night Bites food truck events. Warm summer evening, free concert in Civic Center Park, and at least a half-dozen food trucks side-by-side in the parking lot by City Hall. It is a wonderful event that is always well attended. The events are held from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the first Friday of every month, running from March through October, although not all of the events include the free concert. You can get more information about the upcoming events either on the City of Oakley website or on the Facebook page for the event.

These evenings are family and pet-friendly events, with only a few rules the city asks people to follow. The first is that there is no outside alcohol allowed at the event. There usually is at least one food truck that sells craft beer and wine, and sometimes they have a 'mobile bar' as well. The second rule is that all pets must be on a leash. And of course, following the Rules and Safety Guidelines that Oakley has posted for ALL of their parks.

What a Crowd!

Since I'm not very good at estimating crowd sizes, I made a quick call to the City of Oakley. I spoke to one of the staff, who took down my questions and promised I would get a response. A few minutes later, I received an email from the City Manager, Bryan Montgomery. He estimated the crowd at the last event to have been in the neighborhood of around seven-hundred people. That number does tend to fluctuate depending on the band that is playing, the food trucks that have been secured, and, of course, the weather.

Even with the large number of people, it didn't feel crowded or cramped in any way. The lines of people waiting for food and drinks weren't very long, and they seemed to move at a good pace. Overall, I thought it was a very well run, well organized, and well planned event. And this is only the second year Oakley has been running this event, too!

All About the Food

Let's move on to the most important part: the FOOD! Each month the list of food trucks changes, although some of the trucks are repeated over time. At the event that I attended, the list of trucks – along with the menu of items they offer – was as follows:

Ma Sarap

• Traditional Filipino Delicacies, such as: Chicken Adobo, Pork Sisig, Chicken Skewers, Lechon Kawali, Lumpia Shanghai, Vegetable Lumpia, Shrimp Lumpia, Chicken Chicharron, and Pancit.

Cousins Maine Lobster

• A National Franchise Food Truck and Restaurant that serves: Maine Lobster Roll, Connecticut Roll, Lobster Quesadilla, Lobster Grilled Cheese w/tots, Lobster Tacos, Lobster Tail & Tots, Shrimp Tacos, Smothered and Covered Tots, New England Clam Chowder, Lobster Bisque, and a Kid's Meal

The Guzzler

• A 'Bar on Wheels' that features: four wine taps, eight craft beer taps, and additional hand selected beers and wine. The truck also features two large flat screen TV's with a state-of-the-art sound system, too!

Cosa Nostra

• A unique 'Build-your-own-Pasta' style Italian food truck that allows customers to choose a pasta, select a sauce, add a protein or vegetable (or both). They also offer a kid-friendly pasta meal, as well as several Chef's Choice meal options, such as Pasta Primavera, Fettuccini Alfredo, Pappardelle Creamy Pesto, and a unique Pistachio Cannoli for dessert!

Gyro Stop

• Mediterranean Food Truck offering: Gyros, Shawarma, Doner, Falafels, Kebabs, Dolmas, Hummus, Rice Bowls, French Fries, Lemon Garlic Fries, and more!

Gaga's Rollin Diner

• Food like you would find at your local diner, including: Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, Fish and Chips, Shrimp and Chips, Veggie Eggrolls,Crab Sandwich, French Dip Sandwich, Corn Dogs, Cheeseburgers, Hot Pastrami, and a Fish and Shrimp Combo Sandwich.

Sip and Scoop

• This mobile café truck offers: ice cream, espresso drinks, hot cocoa, tea, lemonade, and Italian ice!

There is a Facebook page dedicated to the City Center Plaza, which is one of the places to turn to for information about upcoming events. Or you can check the website for The Foodie Crew, which is the outside organization the City of Oakley uses to coordinate these events. Besides organizing the trucks for Friday Night Bites, The Foodie Crew also coordinates for corporate events, family gatherings, weddings, festivals, and etc.

Cypress Self Storage – Offering a Wide Selection of Choices!

Just like attending an event like Friday Night Bites and having so many options from which to choose, Cypress Self Storage has an impressive lineup available! From drive-up, self-storage units, to interior units, we can satisfy just about every self storage need! And our customer service is top-notch as well! Come visit us the next time you're in need of a storage facility and see why we believe we are the best place in town! (Note: We are currently under construction and expect to open soon.)