Central Filling Station is reopening for one day only – and for one special occasion

Central Filling Station, a popular food truck park that did not reopen in 2023 after a routine seasonal closing, will return for one day only as part of the Sunset on Central music festival.

The former food truck park at 900 N. Central St. previously served as a venue for the free one-day festival, which is making its return Aug. 24 after a one-year hiatus.

Sunset on Central started in 2016 in the lot that later became Central Filling Station, festival producer Garrett Thomson said, so being able to revive the food truck park even for just a day ties back to the festival's roots.

The venue will host live music and five classic food trucks that call back to the early days of Central Filling Station:

• CJ’s Tacos
• Penne for Your Thoughts
• Smoked Pickle BBQ
• B’s Bites
• Your Sugar Therapy

Tables and chairs will be set up to make it feel like Central Filling Station never closed, Thomson said, and arts and crafts vendors also will be on hand.

"Hopefully, it'll lead to at least that space being used more often," he said. "From my understanding, on days that they're not super busy at Yee-Haw, I think they're open to having ideas like this happen."

Yee-Haw Brewing Company is one of the sponsors and venues for this year's festival. During the planning, Thomson asked the owners about using the Central Filling Station property.

"They basically told us, like, 'If you can make it work and make it happen, feel free,'" Thomson said.

Real estate group SMJT owns the food truck park property and the adjacent Yee-Haw property at 745 N. Broadway. The group purchased the food truck park from original owners Alden and Scott Larrick, who opened it in March 2018.

SMJT named Charles Ellis the general manager of both locations. Ellis did not respond to Knox News' messages about the reopening.

See Central Filling Station and the music festival for yourself

Yee-Haw will donate a portion of sales made during the festival to Knox Music Coalition, the festival's associated nonprofit this year.

"We're excited about that because it's a relatively new nonprofit," Thomson said. "We're trying to get more support in Knoxville and our message out there so people know what we're about and what we're doing."

In addition to Central Filling Station and Yee-Haw, performances will take place at:

• Schulz Bräu Brewing Company at 126 Bernard Ave.
• Next Level Brewing at 700 N. Broadway
• Corner Lounge at 842 N. Central St.

"Sunset on Central is such a labor of love for us that every year it always seems like a miracle that it comes together just watching the neighborhood and the volunteers and everyone make it happen," Thomson said. "And I think if (Central Filling Station) is available next year and if this year goes well, I definitely think it will be a recurring space."

The festival runs 3-11 p.m. Aug. 24. The lineup includes Hey Steve, Mom Rock, Drugstore Cowboy, Willa Mae, Harper Monday and more.

For the full lineup and more details, visit sunsetoncentral.com.

Keenan Thomas reports for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Central Filling Station is reopening for one day only – and for one special occasion