Suwannee Hulaween: Crafting More than Moments
Suwannee Hulaween 2018 Official Event Banner
Suwannee Hulaween is not just a place for freaks to frolic until sunrise while enjoying the top artists that the music scene has to offer - it is also a place to kick back and enjoy some of the most delicious craft food and drink vendors in the south east. The curators behind Suwannee Hulaween, Silver Wrapper and Purple Hatter Productions, put countless hours into designing and organizing the vendor spaces at the festival every year and the food scene continues to expand every year. As the festival has expanded greatly since its start in 2013, the need to disperse the vendors throughout the entire festival grounds has now been heard. Suwannee Hulaween 2018 featured carefully organized pods of vendors dispersed throughout the entire venue so that each section of camping had vendors within a reasonable walking distance. This feature has boosted the overall vibe of the festival as attendees are now able to travel in to the festival without worrying about packing an excess amount of food for the week.
The curators have also amped up the focus on the need for vegetarian and vegan options on site. While normally people think of funnel cakes and other fried food items when thinking of festival foods, Suwannee Hulaween conjures images of fresh smoothies, handcrafted quinoa bowls, and handmade desserts. But don’t worry, there are plenty of fried delicacies for attendees to indulge in onsite. We were able to eat our way through Suwannee Hulaween 2018 over the course of the festival and these are the Top 5 Food Vendors that left their mark on us.
Amish Baking Company - 3.875 - The Amish Baking Company is a festival family staple. You cannot attend a festival where they have set up their infamous Pretzel and Doughnut tent without spending more than you intended to at this booth. We promise once you taste your first Amish Doughnut, you will have inhaled about six before you realize it. These delicious little devils run $6 (6 food tickets) per doughnut and they are so devine that their taste alone will send you on a trip around the galaxy. These guys also offer some amazing soft pretzels, so if you’re looking for a sweet or salty snack between sets, you should definitely check these guys out at your next festival.
Gouda Boys - 3.75 - The Gouda Boys were whipping up their cheesey creations all weekend at Suwannee Hulaween and attendees couldn’t pass by the tent without their mouths watering. The Gouda Boys offer a range of items from Gangster Egg Rolls to Sandwiches, all coming with their decadent smoked Gouda cheese sauce. Since they offer a range of items their prices range from around $6 to $13 , all depending on the ingredients used for the item. Items including their tender and juicey brisket will be on the higher end of pricing while they have smaller snack sized items like Mac and Cheese on the low end of pricing. The Gouda Boys also gain points for conveinience as their tent is located on the main vendor row just behind the main stage of Hulaween. If you’re stomach is growling and you need to fuel your grooves right before a set by the String Cheese Incident, The Gouda Boys have got you covered.
The Scarface Sandwich from The Gouda Boys - Brisket with Maple Bacon and Mac & Cheese with Gouda Cheese Sauce - at Suwannee Hulaween 2018
Deep Eddy Vodka - 3.62 - Deep Eddy Vodka came to bring a whole new meaning to bars and bites at a music festival as they rolled a bar into the Meadow of Suwannee Hulaween to sling their craft cocktails from all weekend. Deep Eddy Vodka had a completely remodeled Spartan trailer that was retro-fitted for their brand. The trailer radiated a groovy 50’s diner vibe with its wrap around bench seating and checker tile flooring. Deep Eddy is a Vodka distilled from corn in Austin, Texas and they are taking music festivals by storm with their over-the-top set-up. Deep Eddy served two cocktails on site of Suwanee Hulaween, each made with a different signature Vodka. The Lemon Splash, Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka and Club Soda, was so deliciously simple and refreshing. Their trailer was in a prime location as they were just off the perimeter of the main stage area. This alone made them a very popular booth to grab a quick cocktail from between sets. Their cocktails were also reasonably priced at around eight food tickets. We are hoping we see this groovy trailer with their crafty cocktail at more music festivals in 2019.
Ma’s Irish Kitchen - 3.5 - Ma’s Irish Kitchen came as a delicious surprise to us. As we perused the vendors and made our way just past the Deep Eddy trailer, there was a shiny beacon of loaded potato goodness. Ma’s Irish Kitchen served loaded potato bowls in three different styles and they are so mouth-wateringly delicious that we are still day-dreaming about them. These bowls are packed to the brim with seasons roasted potatoes and then topped one of three ways. Our personal favorite was the Spicy! Loaded Potato bowl with Cajun potatoes, grilled chicken, bell peppers and spicy ranch. This is by far the one vendor who’s food took us by surprise - we honestly weren’t expecting how packed with flavor our bowl was! Ma’s Irish Kitchen also wins points for ease and convenience as they are found on the perimeter of vendor row near the Meadow. For just eighth food tickets, attendees could dive into a hefty bowl of loaded potatoes while jammin’ out to The String Cheese Incident.
Ma’s Irish Kitchen at Suwannee Hulaween 2018 in front of the Meadow Stage.
King of Pops - 3.4 - King of Pops is an Atlanta-based handcrafted Popsicle company that strategically tackles music festivals by deploying several pop-slinging carts throughout the venue. King of Pops brought the spooky flavors out for Suwannee Hulaween including Spicy Red Devil, BOOreo Cheesecake, and Witch’s Brew. Their infamous Pickle Rick Pop also made an appearance at the festival with its refreshing matcha lemonade flavor. King of Pops comes in on the lower end of pricing in terms of festival snackery , as they sling their pops for the low-low of four dollars. This along with their strategic placement in the venue makes them a prime spot to grab a cool,refreshing pop on your way to the next set. If you’re ever in need of something to cool off, just look for the rainbow umbrellas!
King of Pops serving a customer at Suwannee Hulaween 2018 in front of the Amphitheater stage.