Organizers say car show on track as food-truck permits, insurance and parking questions remain

TJ Lombardo, an event organizer, told the Centennial Committee that preparations for the combined car show and food-truck rally are moving forward, with dozens of vendors and plans for music, giveaways and trophies.

Lombardo said four food trucks confirmed full-entrée menus and several other vendors had expressed interest; he told the committee “we have 300 that are interested” on social media and estimated 200–300 cars could attend on event day. He said local auto-retailers and restaurants had donated giveaway items and gift cards and that he planned trophies and drone and professional photography.

Committee members and staff raised a series of operational and liability issues. Lombardo said he had email authorization from Walmart to use part of the store parking lot but that Walmart had not required a special insurance rider or formal agreement. Several committee members said the city needed to confirm whether vendors should list “Walmart,” “City of Port Richey” or both on certificates of insurance (COIs). Lombardo said one food vendor mistakenly listed the City of Port Richey on its COI and then spoke with a Walmart contact to correct the form.

Local fire officials’ inspection rules were discussed. Staff told vendors that the fire department inspects food-truck cooking operations on city property and charges a fee; committee members noted that inspections on private property are handled differently and that, for the Walmart site, the fire department would inspect for safety but not necessarily require the same permitting as a city park event. The committee asked that staff confirm which inspections are required depending on whether trucks are on private gravel or on city park land.

On fees, Lombardo and staff described a two-tier fee proposal for trucks: $100 for trucks selling main entrees and $50 for trucks or booths selling only sides or desserts. The committee agreed the city would collect the vendor fees and coordinate follow-up with Lombardo; staff and Lombardo also agreed to handle vendor checks and applications centrally so the city has contact information for follow-up.

Logistics discussed included power and layout (generators versus building power), staging and sound for DJs, placement of barriers and the need for a final barricade walk with Public Works. Lombardo said he had discussed power access with a nearby building owner and that a generator was available as a backup. The committee asked staff to provide a site map showing where trucks, stage, spectator parking and emergency access lanes would be located.

Parking and access were flagged as unresolved: Lombardo and committee members said patrons typically use the Walmart shopping-center lots and adjacent lots, but several members asked staff to confirm whether private lot owners would permit event parking and whether additional shuttle or remote parking plans would be needed. The committee also discussed whether any private lots used would require indemnification or insurance language.

What’s next: staff and Lombardo will finalize the vendor list, confirm which trucks will attend which day, complete a site map for barricades and power, and confirm insurance and inspection requirements with Walmart and the fire department. Lombardo said he will provide menus, vendor applications and contact lists to city staff to streamline collection of fees and insurance documents.