A menu is great for choice, but even better is different food outlets all in one spot—hence, the popularity of the Berthoud Food Truck Rally.

Grace Place will feature six food trucks 5-8 p.m. Aug. 19 at the monthly event to give diners a variety of options including tacos, barbecue, bowls, gyros and wraps. There also will be dessert, coffee, cider and beer, as well as live music.

“Coming out of this crazy last year we’ve had with people having had to quarantine and getting out of rhythm with each other, we wanted to do something that got people back together in an easy, low-barrier way,” said Kellie Davidson, associate pastor at Grace Place. “We wanted to accommodate different comfort levels while doing something fun and in community with each other.”

Grace Place launched the rally this year as a gathering spot and to serve as a fundraiser for local nonprofits. Held the third Thursday of the month May through September, the rally meets by the gravel U-shape drive with seating on the patio and inside the church. The patio got a refresh with murals on two shipping containers and the installation of sunsails, soft setting and a cornhole board that adds to the lawn games—there also is basketball and volleyball courts.

“The space to be able to linger makes it really fun. There is a lot of seating, a lot of shade,” Davidson said. “There’s cornhole and music, and there’s open space for kids to run around and play.”

Indoor seating is available in the Trailhead Café and the upstairs patio area—the garage doors will be lifted to let in fresh air and the sounds of the music. The musician rotates each month—this month, it’s Dave Beegle, followed by Christine Alice Music in September.

The food trucks for August will include Nacho Mama’s Tacos, the Cilantro & Lime Food Truck, Chase‘N’Smoke BBQ and Charlotte’s Lil Kitchen. Dessert is available from the Cupcake Gypsies, a bakery in Loveland, and ShortD’s, a coffee roaster out of Frederick.

“It gives people a lot of options and variety, so there could be something for everyone,” Davidson said. “It fits with the Colorado culture of people wanting to gather and wanting to be in a casual environment.”

Each month Grace Place highlights a different nonprofit and encourages the food trucks to donate a portion of their earnings. Most of the donations come from drink sales, where attendees are asked to give a donation in exchange for a drink. City Star Brewing donated the product, and Grace Place made additional purchases from Berthoud Brewery and St. Vrain Cidery in Longmont.

“We knew from the beginning we wanted to support nonprofits in our community doing amazing work,” Davidson said. “We didn’t want to support just one. We wanted each month to highlight something unique and different.”

The nonprofit for August is Larimer County Search and Rescue, Inc.—representatives from the organization will be in attendance with a couple of the search and rescue dogs.

“Colorado is such an outdoor, adventure state. They do such good work to bring safety and security to the activities we do,” Davidson said. “It gives a level of security to allow people to feel more free to go and do those adventures that they love.”

The September nonprofit will be House of Neighborly Service. The other nonprofits Grace Place supported at the rally include the Larimer County Humane Society, which received a $902 donation; the Food Bank for Larimer County, which received $699; and Colorado Youth Outdoors, which received $929.

The attendance so far at the rally ranged from 200 to 400 people.

“What makes it fun is to be able to gather and be somewhere and invite friends before Friday hits and the weekend, to have that Thursday evening to relax and enjoy some good food and music,” Davidson said.