AMHERST – Changes to the state fire code are prompting the Rotary Club of Amherst to bring food trucks to the annual community fair.
The fair, which begins Wednesday on the Town Common, will have the usual assortment of rides for children of all ages, such as a Ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl and merry-go-round, alongside carnival-style booths.
But instead of a Rotary Club tent where volunteers previously cooked hamburgers, hot dogs and french fries for those coming to the fair, four food trucks will be on site
Ed Severance, a member of Rotary Club’s board of directors, said in an email that it sought professional assistance in providing food due to the adjustments in the state fire code.
“The great thing this year is folks can have the traditional food we served, and/or a wide array of other food styles,” Severance said.
The four food trucks will feature hot dogs, burgers and fries from the Bistro Bus, ice cream from Bart’s Homemade, Korean fusion food from Sun Kim Bop and farm-to-table offerings from Wheelhouse Farm.
Fire Chief Walter “Tim” Nelson said his department has been making sure that organizers of outdoor events where food is served are aware of the state fire code changes that took effect Jan. 1, 2015.
The department began enforcing the new rules before last year’s Taste of Amherst on the Town Common, when the department determined that tents are structures similar to restaurant buildings, and any use of fryolators would require appropriate fire suppression systems and hoods to handle the hot grease created through the cooking process.
This prompted the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the Taste, to have one place where all fryolator cooking was done.
“We’ve been way out front working with the chamber about what our expectations are with regards to code compliance,” Nelson said.
The Rotary will continue to sell drinks in a tent and will provide a covered area for tables and chairs.
To encourage people to dine at the fair, for every $15 an individual or family spends on food, the Rotary Club will provide five tickets for the rides.
The fair, which has been organized by the Rotary for more than 40 years, will run from 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, and noon to 10 p.m. Thursday through May 28.
As usual the fair will help provide funds to the Rotary, whose members meet at noon Thursdays at Bertucci’s, 51 East Pleasant St.
Proceeds from the fair fund student scholarships, money that is donated to nonprofits and a $25,000 to $50,000 Rotary Community Grant that has been used for various projects in Amherst.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
