Overland Park's Canceled Fourth of July Event Leaves Food Truck Owner Scrambling

Alyssa Jackson, a reporter for KSHB 41, covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Shawnee, and Mission. If you have a story idea to share, you can reach out to Alyssa at [email protected].

Bryce's Food Truck Faces Unexpected Setback After Overland Park Cancels Independence Day Celebration

Muddy Conditions Force Cancellation of Overland Park's Fourth of July Event

Heavy rains on Wednesday left the grounds of Corporate Woods Founders Park, the planned location for Overland Park's Fourth of July celebration, in a muddy state. This forced the city to cancel the event, which was set to feature fireworks, food trucks, and live music. The decision was made on Thursday morning, just a day before the holiday.For Bryce Reynolds, the owner of Bryce's Food Truck, this cancellation came as a significant blow. The Fourth of July event was expected to be one of the biggest days of the year for his business, as he had prepared a large quantity of food in anticipation of the crowds.

Food Truck Owner Scrambles to Find Alternative Opportunities

When Reynolds received the call at 10 a.m. on Thursday informing him of the event's cancellation, he was left in a state of panic. "It turned into a panic of 'What do I need to do next and what do I gotta do to make sure I can find a way to make money off the food I lost and make money on a day when I'm supposed to be making money?'" he said.With the fireworks show still scheduled to go on, Reynolds had hoped that the food trucks would be allowed to participate. However, the city later informed KSHB 41 that due to scheduling conflicts, food trucks would not be part of the event.

Preparing for the Unexpected: The Challenges of Running a Food Truck Business

Reynolds acknowledges that dealing with weather-related issues is a constant challenge for food truck owners. "You can anticipate it, but you don't always know what the outcome will be," he said. In this case, he had prepared a significant amount of food, including 1,200 hand-breaded chicken tenders, in anticipation of the large crowds expected at the Fourth of July event.The cancellation of the event meant that Reynolds was left with a substantial amount of food that he needed to find a way to sell or use. "I hope people understand it's an expense to buy all the food and do all the work," he said. "You're staying up for hours breading chicken tenders."

Looking Ahead: Seeking Opportunities and Advocating for Better Planning

Despite the setback, Reynolds is determined to find alternative opportunities to recoup his losses. He will be taking his food truck to the Independence Day event in Baldwin City, Kansas, on Saturday afternoon.Looking ahead, Reynolds hopes that Overland Park will invite his food truck to future Fourth of July celebrations. However, he also believes that the city should have a contingency plan in place to address weather-related issues. "It's a great event. I just want there to be a plan in place, a backup Plan B," he said. "Hey if it floods, here's what our option is. Keep that day off as well."By sharing his experience, Reynolds hopes to raise awareness about the challenges faced by food truck owners and the importance of proactive planning by event organizers. As the summer season continues, he remains optimistic about finding new opportunities to showcase his culinary creations and build a successful food truck business.