A tough crackdown on pop-up street food vendors is underway in Santa Barbara, where the Old Spanish Days festival will be celebrated this week.
The main reason for the crackdown is a concern about consumer health, the city says.
The food carts have become popular at parades, festivals and concert venues, where corn on the cob and bacon wrapped hot dogs are among the most popular items.
Cart vending without a permit can not only result in a ticket, but also the confiscation of the cart itself.
To offset the removal of the unauthorized vendors during Old Spanish Days, two mercados with permanent vendors are open for 4 days, along with a number of vending locations that have been given permits around performance sites.