A pleasant and satisfying endeavour
Walking up the concourse towards the Hillside grounds, the delicious smell of something mouth-watering hit your nose right away. Seeing as though this was my first time at the annual festival, I didn’t know exactly what to expect for food options. Typically, festival food consists of something that you can hold in your hand while trying to navigate hordes of other concert goers while also trying not to spill. Hillside on the contrary, offers a dazzling array of food options sure to tantalize even the pickiest of eaters. It is clear that the organizers not only want an amazing selection of foods, but they also ensure that there are several vegetarian and vegan options as well. It was also amazing to see that all dishes were available for ten dollars or less which is quite reasonable considering the quality of the fare. Finally, Hillside’s inspiring commitment to environmental sustainability is clearly evident through the use of reusable dishes and cutlery.
As I walked into the food area for the first time, I was pleased to see several familiar local restaurants serving their specialties as well as several new vendors tempting diners with unique and delicious dishes. It was difficult to make a choice as I walked around the hall, but I eventually settled on the highly touted Indian Taco from the Flying Chestnut booth. As the chalkboard posted at their booth warned, I definitely concur that this was indeed the best thing I ate all weekend. In contrast to other festivals, there was ample seating available to sit and enjoy this scrumptious meal.
The next day, I returned to the festival not only invigorated by the amazing line-up of performers and feel of the festival, but I was also extremely excited to discover which other amazing dishes I could try over the course of the day. It was real a challenge to decide, but for lunch I settled on the familiar butter chicken from Diwa Indian Cuisine. As usual, I was not disappointed as it was as tasty at the festival as it is at their restaurant.
Later in the day, it was time for a snack. Hillside also offered numerous options for a quick and delicious snack, but the heat of the day called for something cool. My decision became much easier as soon as I realized that Mapleton Organic Ice Cream also had a booth at the festival. With unique and tasty flavours such as Ginger Ice Cream, it was easy to find one to enjoy.
Hillside has succeeded where other festivals have consistently failed. They truly set an example ensuring that festival-goers have healthy and delicious food options for a reasonable price. From the food to the entertainment – it really was an inspiring experience that I surely won’t want to miss next year.