By the numbers: 5 upcoming food truck festivals

Food truck festivals give attendees a fun way to choose from a variety of restaurants in one place, many of them offering unique treats and specialty fare. Here are five upcoming food truck festivals in the area.

Bartlett

Hanover Township will host the second annual Fall Food Truck Festival from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, on the William Tiknis Campus, 250 S. Route 59, Bartlett. The festival will feature food, carnival games, and live music from the Rolling Stones tribute band Hot Rocks Band. A climbing wall will be on-site with proceeds benefiting the township's Home Delivered Meal program. As part of Illinois Township Day, learn more about the programs and services of Hanover Township. Admission and parking are free.

Food vendors include: Beavers Donuts, Cook's Ice Cream, Duke's Blues N BBQ, Fat Tomato Inc., Pierogi Jo's, Toasty Cheese, and Yum Dum. There will also be a wine and beer tent.

For information, visit www.hanover-township.org or www.facebook.com/HanoverTwsp.

Elgin

The radio show "Eric in The Morning with Melissa & Whip" will host Grand Victoria Casino's Food Truck Fest from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, in Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Ave., Elgin. The park will be transformed into a culinary road map with more than 30 food trucks in attendance. Admission is free and free valet and self-parking will be available.

These are just some of the trucks scheduled to take part: Auntie Vee's, Beaver's Donuts, Carnival, Cheesie's, Chicago Lunchbox, Cookies with Flavor, The Cookout on Wheels, Cook's Ice Cream, Crust Culture, Fat Shallot, Flying Tacos, Giordano's, Grumpy Guacho, Happy Lobster, Harold's Chicken, Kate and Jan's Hot Dogs, Kona Ice, LaCocinita, Lucy's, My Funnel, Perk N Pickle, Pierogi Wagon, Piko Street Kitchen, A Sweet Girl Cupcakes, Toasty Cheese, Wok 'n' Roll by Bamboo, and Yum Dum.

Guests will have a chance to win a foodie trip for two in the "Big Eats in the Big Easy" giveaway. Visit www.grandvictoriacasino.com/bigeats for details.

For information, visit www.grandvictoriacasino.com/gvcfoodtruckfest.

Highland Park

The Ravinia District sponsors Food Truck Thursdays with Music in the Park from 4:30 p.m. to dusk every Thursday through Sept. 13 on Dean Avenue, between Roger Williams Avenue and St. John's Avenue, and in Jens Jensen Park, 486 Roger Williams Ave. Admission is free.

Food trucks taking part in the event include: Beaver's Donuts, Chicago Lunch Box, Culinary Gangster, Da Lobsta, Da Pizza Dude, Izakaye Yume, Jester Juice, La Cocinita, Loop Juice and Poke Bowls, Louie B Fresh, Mothers Truckn Good Food, Pierogi Rig, Rio Bamba Latin Kitchen, The Fat Shallot, Swirl Cafe, and Yum Dum. In addition, local favorites like Abigail's American Bistro, Ravinia Brewing Company and Viaggio will serve wine, beer and cocktails.

Each Thursday also features live musical performances. Upcoming scheduled performances are: The Heavy Sounds from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Aug. 9; The Don Stiernberg Trio from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Aug. 16; Ben Tatar & The Tatar Totts from 5-6:30 p.m. and Spare Parts from 7-8:30 p.m. on Aug. 23; Ambiente from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Aug. 30; Off the Wagon from 5-7:30 p.m. on Sept. 6; and Mal-O-Dua from 5-6 p.m. and the Mason Jiller Trio from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Sept. 13.

For information, visit cityhpil.com/thingstodo.

Lincolnshire

The village hosts Food Truck Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every other Friday in the parking lot of the Lincolnshire Corporate Center, 300 Knightsbridge Parkway. Remaining dates include Aug. 17 and 31. Admission is free.

Food trucks taking part include: Best Truckin' BBQ, The Crave Bar, Grill Chasers, Happy Lobster Truck, Mario's Cart, Marty's Eat Wagon, Mothers Truckn Good Food, Louie B. Fresh, Rogue Curbside Kitchen, Swirl Cafe, Toasty Cheese, and Toasty Taco.

For information, visit www.village.lincolnshire.il.us.

Woodstock

Truck Off Woodstock returns from 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, on the historic Woodstock Square. Featuring more than 30 food trucks. Admission is free.

The food trucks include: Aztec Daves Food Truck, Beavers Donuts, Bob Cha, Bopbartruck, Carnivale, The Cheese Market, Cheesie's Pub & Grub, Cookies w/flavor, The Cookout On Wheels, Da Lobsta, The Fat Shallot, Fat Tomato Inc., Fido to go Dog & Cat Treat Food Truck, Food for your Soul, GypsySoul Food Truck, Izakaya Yume, Kona Ice of McHenry County, Legit Dogs & Ice, Loop Juice, Lucy's, Mario's Cart, Mediterranean Express, The Olive Branch, Perk N Pickle, Pierogi Crib and Pierogi Rigs, Pierogi Wagon, Riverside Chocolate Factory, Ruthella's New Orleans Cuisine LLC, Tropical Chill, Wok 'n' Roll by Bamboo, Your Sister's Tomato, and Yum Dum.

There also will be food from Olano's Empanadas, Cesaroni's Cafe & Deli, Morkes Chocolates of Huntley, Pierogi Jo's, Perfect Pop Kettle Corn, My Funnel, and MJ's Coffee Bar.

Special guests will be Star 105.5 McHenry County. There will also be a Market in the Park from 4-9 p.m. with booths from several local businesses offering merchandise like jewelry and pet products, and services related to health care, beauty, travel, home repair and more.

For updates, follow "Truck Off" on Facebook at www.facebook.com/events/314347325735122.