Narberth work session backs Parks & Rec plan to launch food-truck festival; vendor rules to be finalized June 26

Narberth Borough Council on Thursday, June 5 reviewed a Parks and Recreation Board plan for a “Food Truck Festival” intended to activate Saint Martin Park and other borough green spaces and directed borough staff to finalize a vendor registration form and an updated fee schedule for presentation at the June 26 business meeting.

The Parks and Recreation Board pitched the festival as the third of three park-activation events this year — following a movie night in Norbrook Park and planned educational programming in Elm Grove — and said the September event will be “budget neutral,” with vendors covering porta-potties and some trash removal. Parks and Rec told council that roughly half the food‑truck vendors are verbally committed and that the borough needs council approval to begin formal advertising and collect vendor payments.

Why it matters: Councilmembers pressed the board on public‑safety and staffing logistics and on the event’s timing, noting the borough’s busy fall event calendar and the possibility of overlapping staff and volunteer demands. The festival would close downtown streets for the parade and marketplace and could draw several hundred attendees, so council flagged police staffing, traffic control and SEPTA coordination as outstanding items to resolve before final approvals.

Details and council direction - Parks and Rec said the festival would include a DJ (being solicited as a donated service), kids’ activities and a dog parade (NAR Bark), and would be organized to avoid requiring extensive weekend labor from borough staff. The board said it would place and remove additional trash totes and porta‑potties; public works would collect the added waste on the next business day. - Police Chief John (police chief) advised that, for consistency with other borough events serving alcohol, “anytime that there is an alcohol event … 1 officer would be required.” Council accepted that an officer detail would be required if alcohol is served. - Public works staff (Jeff) and council discussed physical vehicle barriers versus movable barricades to block the park apron; a vehicle left in place would reduce the number of staff/barricade moves but could create overtime costs if a public‑works truck or police cruiser is used for that function. - SEPTA coordination: council asked staff to confirm whether bus routes pass through the no‑parking areas and to coordinate on any temporary on‑street parking or reroutes. - Permits and insurance: Parks and Rec and staff said a catering/food permit would be required for vendors, and that the festival will follow borough insurance and alcohol‑service requirements; one presenter said a required catering permit can be obtained online.

Next steps and timeline - Borough staff will bring a finalized food-truck vendor registration form and a required update to the fee schedule to the June 26 business meeting so the Parks & Rec board can distribute the form to vendors. - Parks & Rec and staff said they are targeting a mid‑July deadline for vendors to submit registration forms and payment so the organizer can lock in vendors and advertising. - Borough staff noted the new vendor registration requirement will also apply to vendors at the July 4 events moving forward.

Concerns voiced Councilmembers urged Parks & Rec to consider (1) moving the festival to a less crowded slot in the calendar if vendors or staff raise conflicts, (2) orienting the layout to draw people into local businesses, and (3) ensuring volunteer commitments (for entertainment or activities) are reliable so the program doesn’t depend on last‑minute replacements.

What council did Council did not take a single formal motion to approve the festival date at the work session. Instead, members agreed to let borough staff work with Parks & Rec to finalize the vendor registration form and fee schedule and to present that package for council action at the June 26 business meeting. Parks & Rec indicated it will proceed with vendor outreach once the registration form and fee schedule are approved.