Food trucks return to Race Track for final Sunday of summer racing

Fort Foodie Fest returned to Fort Erie Race Track Sunday with 13 food vendors, the track’s latest attempt to win over people who don’t come just for the horses.

The 129-year-old track spent the spring warning of layoffs during a stalled provincial funding fight, and even a June deal that raised purses 15 per cent left it needing more people at the races.

“That’s the whole reason we do events like this,” James Culic, the track’s spokesperson, told Fort Erie Radio. “It’s to try and get those casual fans, people who might not know about the racetrack, people who might not come out if it’s just horse racing.”

The track expanded Sunday racing in its 2026 schedule after local fans asked for more of those dates last year. Culic says every one of them has performed well, including a season opener he called the track’s “most successful opening day in a long time.”

Nine food trucks and four dessert vendors took part. Most were returning operators, but some joined for the first time, such as Crust by Q, a wood-fired pizza truck, and Rolling Into Sweets, which sells Hungarian chimney cakes.

Jody Curran, who opened Granny J’s Fudge in Ridgeway this year, sells homemade fudge made with cream and butter. Her grandmothers, Jean and Josephine, inspired the business name and the recipes behind it.

“I take a lot of pride in what I do, so I like to give joy by letting everybody taste my product, and I really like that they enjoy it,” said Curran.

Heidi Marsh, whose family runs Savage Creations, was happy with the steady stream of customers that kept coming to their table of crochet, knitting, posters and 3D-printed items.

“It brings us together as a family to do it together,” said Marsh, whose family has travelled to festivals across Niagara all summer.

The track now heads into the 91st running of the Prince of Wales Stakes on September 7.

The Labour Day race, the second jewel in the Canadian Triple Crown, carries a $400,000 purse–the richest prize on any dirt track in Canada–and will again feature a women’s fashion contest through Ridgeway business Lasting Impressions.

Culic says major events on back-to-back weekends are unusual for the track, and management hopes Sunday’s turnout carries into the stakes.

“We’re really excited to keep this momentum going,” he said.

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