Atlanta Downtown Chow Down Jan. 2

The Atlanta City Development Corporation, an economic and community development entity for the City of Atlanta, is hoping to raise awareness and support for a newly launched food truck court known as the Downtown Chow Down.

Since October 2022, the first Monday of each month an assortment of food trucks are set up downtown at 210 E. Hiram St., a public parking lot and green space commonly referred to as “Woods Park.” The location has become a well-established event space thanks to notable events such as the Atlanta Local Makers Market, Downtown Movie Nights and a number of other events that have utilized the space over the past several years.

The concept of the Downtown Chow Down was based on our area’s blossoming food truck industry and a desire to draw people downtown and take advantage of the infrastructure available at Woods Park. “When the plans for Woods Park were in development, A.C.D.C made sure to include power and space that would be accommodating to market vendors as well as food trucks. The idea was that the community would use the space not only for extra parking but also to really activate that side of downtown by bringing people in on a more regular basis,” says Miranda Johnson, Executive Director. She added, “One of the nicest features of the space is the on-site power option for food trucks or any vendors that would normally have to run on a noisy generator.”

A typical Atlanta Downtown Chow Down includes colorful food trucks set to serve in the Woods Park parking lot, yard games like corn hole or giant checkers set up on the lawn, a dining area with tables, chairs and shade canopies, upbeat music playing and the tantalizing aroma of fresh BBQ, street tacos, or any number of creative menus beckoning a crowd for lunch and dinner. The event has been happening for three months with good participation each time, even in sometimes less than perfect weather conditions.

The upcoming Chow Down is January 2nd, an observed holiday for many businesses. With many people being off work and many students out of school for the holiday break, the food truck court offers something fun to get out and do or just another option for great food for those who want a break from their own kitchens!

“Put a reminder on those calendars for the First Monday of each month” suggests Johnson, “and look for Downtown Chow Down signs around town. For monthly vendor line-ups and truck menu postings, the community can follow Atlanta City Development Corporation on Facebook or look for the Facebook event, ‘Atlanta Downtown Chow Down.’”