Flathead Food Truck Fest

09/08/2026

🥤 2026 WINNER SPOTLIGHT #5 OF 6: SODALIGHTFUL 🥤

Congratulations to Kaleigh and Sodalightful, winner of the 2026 Food Truck of the Year award for Best Beverage!

Sodalightful also earned the community’s vote for People’s Choice — Best Drink and received an Honorable Mention in the Daily Inter Lake’s Best of the Flathead contest for Best Food Truck — Sweets/Drinks!

For the judges, Kaleigh served the Canyon Crush—a colorful combination of coconut Red Bull, peach and blue raspberry. The judges described it as:
“Refreshingly sweet and fun to watch.”

Kaleigh’s entrepreneurial spirit began long before Sodalightful. In third grade, she made homemade stress balls and sold them to her classmates. In 2022, she found a way to combine that entrepreneurial drive with her love of dirty sodas by launching Sodalightful and sharing creative, flavor-packed drinks with the Flathead Valley.

Kaleigh doesn’t have formal culinary training. She learned everything along the way—from operating the beverage trailer’s equipment to troubleshooting and fixing it when something goes wrong. That hands-on experience has helped her build a business centered on creativity, experimentation and fun.

Her personal favorites are Sprite- and lemonade-based drinks, especially when popping boba is added for an extra, unexpected burst of flavor. For Kaleigh, the best part of owning Sodalightful is having an outlet to explore new ideas—and seeing customers enjoy what she creates.

Sodalightful has continued to grow in 2026. Their summer schedule included appearances at the Bigfork Rodeo and rodeos in Eureka, and they have introduced several exciting new offerings:
👕 Styles & Sips — limited-edition Flathead Valley-themed hoodies and tumblers
🥤 Lifetime Refill Perk — bring a Sodalightful tumbler back to the trailer and receive 15% off every drink refill for the life of the tumbler—essentially a free size upgrade each time!
💪 Protein Refreshers — a new menu series featuring drinks with 0 grams of sugar and plenty of protein

The hoodies and tumblers are limited edition and will not return once they sell out, so be sure to grab them while they’re available!

The carousel includes just a small portion of Sodalightful’s extensive menu. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for the full menu, their weekly schedule and the latest Sodalightful news:

Facebook: .LLC
Instagram: .llc

Congratulations again to Kaleigh and Sodalightful on an incredible year and three well-deserved honors! 🎉

09/01/2026

🏆 2026 WINNER SPOTLIGHT #4 OF 6: FREY GUYS SUGA SHACK

“What you crave is inside”—and for Justin Frey, owner of Frey Guys Suga Shack, it all began with one unforgettable bite.

While watching a friend compete in a bodybuilding competition, Justin and his friend Molly decided to grab some funnel cake fries. The first bite instantly transported him back to being 12 years old—to the happiness, excitement and carefree feeling of the fair. It wasn’t just dessert. It was happiness. It was the fair. It was childhood.

That moment showed Justin how powerfully food can connect people to their happiest memories—and inspired what would eventually become Frey Guys Suga Shack.

Justin spent nearly two months developing and perfecting his funnel cake batter. He began selling funnel cakes from his apartment, but demand grew so quickly that it soon became time to purchase a food truck.

Although Justin doesn’t have formal culinary training, he has spent the past 13 years working in the restaurant industry and learning through hands-on experience.

“I believe passion, hard work and a willingness to learn can be just as valuable as a formal education.”

Frey Guys Suga Shack has continued to grow every year—improving recipes, expanding the menu and creating an experience that keeps customers coming back. Justin credits much of that success to the incredible support of the Flathead Valley and remains deeply grateful for the encouragement, loyalty and friendships the business has received along the way.

Their signature Huckleberry French Toast Funnel Cake earned Best Dessert honors in the 2026 Food Truck of the Year competition. It features cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, cream drizzle, huckleberry topping, Cool Whip and cinnamon toast crumble, all served with ice cream.

One judge’s immediate reaction after tasting it said everything:
“Can we have ice cream for dinner?”

Frey Guys Suga Shack’s 2026 honors include:
🏆 FOOD TRUCK OF THE YEAR
Best Dessert
🏆 PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Best Dessert
Best Looking Truck
Best Taster
🏆 BEST OF THE FLATHEAD
Honorable Mention: Best Dessert
Honorable Mention: Sweet/Drink Food Truck

Beyond their award-winning funnel cakes, the Suga Shack menu includes deep-fried Oreos, Twinkies, cookie dough, Caramel Apple Delight and plenty of rotating specialty creations. Justin’s favorite part of operating the truck is traveling throughout Montana, meeting people in different communities and creating new memories everywhere the truck goes.

Looking toward 2027 and 2028, Frey Guys Suga Shack plans to keep expanding its menu, serving communities across Montana and pursuing some exciting developments that Justin isn’t quite ready to reveal.

His mission, however, remains the same: to serve amazing food and create unforgettable experiences for every customer who walks up to the window.

Find Frey Guys Suga Shack at the Manic Monday Food Truck Gathering next to Albertsons in Kalispell and at various special events throughout the area.

Follow them for current locations, featured creations and specials:
Facebook:
Instagram:

Congratulations again to Justin and the entire Frey Guys Suga Shack team on an incredible 2026 season! 🎉

08/29/2026

Columbia Falls Community Market must raise $1 million in two weeks or potentially lose its home Read more in the comments. https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2026/aug/28/columbia-falls-community-market-must-raise-1-milli/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

08/25/2026

08/25/2026

🏆 2026 FOOD TRUCK OF THE YEAR: 3RD PLACE 🏆

Our next Winner Spotlight celebrates Los Pingüinos and the dish that earned them 3rd Place at the 2026 Flathead Food Truck Festival—their Braised Korean Beef Taco with kimchi salsa and scallion.

The judges described it as:

“Deep and rich—it makes you feel warm and cozy.”

Behind that award-winning taco is an extraordinary story. From his grandmother’s kitchen to world-class restaurants, the chef behind Los Pingüinos has spent more than 16 years building his culinary career. But Los Pingüinos became more than a place to cook—it became a chance to rebuild his life, rediscover himself and begin again.

“Los Pingüinos was my chance at redemption—and, in a lot of ways, that food truck saved my life.”

Swipe through the panels to learn more about his journey, culinary experience, love for food-truck life and the return of the Los Pingüinos Pop-Up Dinners this November and December!

Please join us in congratulating the entire Los Pingüinos team on an incredible achievement—and follow them for weekly schedules, special menus and upcoming pop-up dinner announcements!

08/18/2026

🏆 2026 FOOD TRUCK OF THE YEAR: 2ND PLACE 🏆

Our next Winner Spotlight celebrates Zapo Taco and owner Monika, whose Asian Lettuce Wraps with duck, elk and pork, served with nam pla sauce, earned 2nd Place from our panel of three independent judges!

The judges described the dish as:

“Fresh and bright flavors that you’ll feel great about eating.”

This is also Zapo Taco’s second consecutive year receiving one of the festival’s top honors! After winning 1st Place Food Truck of the Year in 2025, Zapo Taco returned to earn 2nd Place in 2026—an incredible back-to-back achievement.

Monika’s culinary career began unexpectedly. A silly comment from a college professor led her to apply for a job at a fancy French restaurant called Chez Ardid. She was hired as a busboy—and immediately fell in love with the kitchen’s aromas, flavors, energy and precision. After spending her first year peeling onions, carrots and potatoes, she was hooked!

That unexpected beginning grew into 38 years of cooking, pastry-arts training at the Culinary School of the Rockies and opportunities to work under several Michelin-starred chefs.

But the inspiration behind Zapo Taco is Monika’s family. She created the business to build a flexible career around raising her two daughters—and today, her girls are part of the adventure. Sophia works alongside the crew at major events, while Olivia brings her own entrepreneurial spirit with her nail business.

And Monika isn’t slowing down! Her second food concept, Posh & Yob, is already serving customers while its dedicated truck is being completed.

Swipe through the panels to learn more about Monika’s journey, her family and the dish that earned Zapo Taco another Food Truck of the Year honor!

Zapo Taco changes its menu regularly and for each event, so be sure to follow for upcoming locations, event-specific menus and new creations:

🌮 Facebook: ZapoTacoMT
🌮 Instagram:

You can also follow Posh & Yob for menus, locations and updates on the new truck:

🍽️ Facebook: Posh & Yob
🍽️ Instagram:

Please join us in congratulating Monika and the entire Zapo Taco team on another incredible achievement!

08/11/2026

🌟 WINNER SPOTLIGHT #1 OF 6: TAQUERIA JALISCO 🌟

Meet Saul Magana, the chef and owner behind Taqueria Jalisco—and the 2026 Food Truck of the Year!

Saul earned first place from a panel of three independent judges with a fresh tuna ceviche featuring sweet mango and his special serrano chile sauce. The judges described the dish as:

“Sweet, spicy, savory…and leaves you speechless.”

Saul’s culinary journey began in 2014 when he entered the restaurant industry as a prep cook. He continued learning and working his way through nearly every role—from line cook to chef and later busser and server. That wide-ranging experience taught him not only how to create delicious food, but also how to connect with and serve his customers.

His cooking combines traditional family recipes passed down by his grandmother and mother with the knowledge he gained while working in different restaurants.

After moving to the Flathead Valley in 2021, Saul noticed a lack of traditional Mexican cuisine in the area. He decided to fill that gap by opening Taqueria Jalisco and bringing authentic Mexican flavors to the community.

One of the most rewarding parts of owning the food truck is hearing how much people enjoy his food and seeing the support customers continue to give him every day—and the community certainly showed that support in 2026!

In addition to being named Food Truck of the Year, Taqueria Jalisco was voted People’s Choice: Best Savory at the festival and named the #1 Savory Food Truck in Best of the Flathead.

Saul isn’t slowing down. Customers can look forward to a new tripe option, and his long-term goals include opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant—and possibly even adding a second food truck!

Congratulations to Saul and the entire Taqueria Jalisco team on an incredible and well-deserved 2026 season!

📍 Find Taqueria Jalisco parked at 2017 US Highway 2 East in Kalispell and follow their social pages for schedule updates:

Facebook:
Instagram:

Please help celebrate this local success story by leaving Saul and his team a congratulations in the comments! 🎉🌮
Taqueria Jalisco