Owner of Jag Boilers Food Truck

“I’m from Louisiana, born and raised in Baton Rouge. In 2019, I started in a little pop up tent, at a gas station in Jacksonville. I only had two items, crawfish and shrimp and then, you know, the sides, the potatoes, the corn. It was successful so in 2020 I bought the trailer, and it took off from there. My truck is Jags Boilers like the Jaguars but it’s actually my initials, Jacob Alistair Garza.

I noticed the Park were giving food trucks opportunity to showcase themselves for lunch down here. And that’s daily Monday through Friday. So, yeah, I hooked up with them. Did it for 4 years.

I would definitely have to say that my very first Crawfish Festival I produced myself at the Park was very memorable and emotional. May 31st, 2021. Been doing it every year since. We had, maybe 20 to 25 vendors, 10 separate tent vendors, we had about six or seven food trucks, three dessert trucks, an ice truck. I had a DJ, and live music, an all day event. It’s free because that’s one thing I do enjoy is the culture of family and community.

Like, I seen it, like, foresight, you know? And when you actually do it, it hits you in the heart, because you can take a step back, and see it was successful. It was like, boom, this was great, you know?”

Photos by Toni Smailagic