If you’re looking for a new lunch spot, make your way to the Performing Arts and Event Center to enjoy a variety of food truck delights through November.

Federal Way’s food trucks program at the PAEC (#fwpaecfoodtrucks) offers diverse offerings each week in the early afternoons to satisfy all taste palates.

Most food trucks are available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with some exceptions on days and times. The PAEC is located at 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S. in Federal Way.

With the current pandemic hitting live events and performing arts centers hard, the PAEC was looking for ways to keep the Federal Way community engaged and drive business to the building, said Brian Hoffman, general manager of the PAEC.

With the limited staff at PAEC, and other Spectra-owed buildings in the U.S. and Canada, “we’re trying to think outside of the box,” Hoffman said.

Based on the popularity of food trucks in the region, a plan was devised to bring some of the tastiest truck-made treats to Federal Way.

The program started in September, and the community response often leads to socially-distanced lines of customers waiting for their order.

On Oct. 6, Piroshky Piroshky, bringing a taste of Russia to the PNW after it was founded in 1992 at Pike Place Market, faced a good problem to have.

“The community responded wonderfully and [the business] couldn’t fulfill their time arrangement because they sold out of food,” Hoffman said. “The response has been great thus far.”

The PAEC’s last theater production with a live audience was on March 3, and the last in-person event in the meeting space was on March 4. Just a week later, most part-time staff were furloughed, and in early April, the PAEC was forced to furlough 35 of its 37 employees.

Dozens of events have been canceled, with some rescheduled for 2021 or taking place on a virtual stage, but the pandemic’s impact on the PAEC has been difficult.

Even though the new program isn’t their traditional business model, it’s a way to connect with the community, keep the PAEC on people’s minds, and remind the community the PAEC will still be here when in-person productions begin once again, Hoffman said.

Each week, people flock to the site for a lunchtime bite, often taking a seat on the nearby staircase or enjoying a view over the ever-evolving landscape of downtown Federal Way.

“We want to continue to have a variety and not oversaturate it,” he said of the food options.

If you have a food truck or want to get involved in the FW PAEC Food Trucks program, contact Brian Hoffman at 253-835-7010 or via email paec@cityoffederalway.com. For more information about the Performing Arts and Event Center, visit fwpaec.org.

FW PAEC Food Trucks schedule

Oct. 20 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Alaskan Dumplings

Oct. 21 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ): Pecos Pit BBQ

Oct. 22 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.): Piroshky Piroshky

Oct. 23 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.): YS Street Food

Oct. 27 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.): Paparepas

Nov. 2 (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.): Pecos Pit BBQ & Sugar Spoon Cookie Dough

Nov. 4 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.): Piroshky Piroshky

Nov. 24 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.): Paparepas

Nov. 25 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.): Dreamy Drinks

Customers wait to order from Piroshky Piroshky at the PAEC (31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S.) Photo courtesy of Brian Hoffman