A TASTY REMIX FOR DECEMBER NIGHTS

San Diego’s most popular holiday event is canceled, but food trucks are ready

SAN DIEGO

For the first time in more than 40 years, the December Nights holiday festival that draws nearly 300,000 annual visitors to Balboa Park has been canceled. But a festive new COVID-safe food event will take its place next weekend.

Taste of December Nights, featuring about 20 food vendors from past December Nights events along with several new ones, will offer drive-thru meal service from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday in the parking lot at Inspiration Point Way in Balboa Park.

City of San Diego officials were forced to cancel the 42nd annual December Nights this year due to social-distancing measures required by the pandemic. Over the summer, city officials began kicking around ideas on how to resurrect at least some portions of the event.

Re-creating a food-only experience seemed the safest way to proceed, according to Natasha Collura, the city’s executive director for special events and filming.

Since the new event was announced a few months ago, Collura said the city has received tremendous feedback from the community, so they are expecting a lot of driveup visitors.

To accommodate demand and reduce wait times, Taste of December Nights will be spread over three days, rather than two, with food service from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday. To encourage visits before the crowded dinner hours, drivers of the first 500 cars to arrive each day will receive a free commemorative tote bag.

The trucks and vendors chosen for the event serve a wide variety of menu items in a range of prices, including American, Kenyan, Cajun, Korean, Italian, Greek, German, Chinese, Filipino and French food. Also, during the daytime hours, a large tented area will be hosted by the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages, whose volun