Dayton Fashion and Food Truck rally saw mothers, children and their small businesses

“It’s amazed me how much it’s taken off,” she said as she adjusted the headband of Baby Aris. “I like to think of myself as a pro chef at home, and I really just love to bake.”

Pridgen and others spent their Mother’s Day at the Fashion Meets Food Truck Rally at the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services on South Edwin C. Moses Boulevard.

Attendees could choose from food trucks from Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus or support retail vendors offering clothing, jewelry and more.

Organizer Tae Winston, who also owns The Entrepreneurs Shoppe and District Market in downtown Dayton, said she wanted the mothers of the Miami Valley to have a fun event to attend or have a chance to grow their businesses.

Sunday’s event was the first of its kind that small business owner Renique Hicks. She owns Neda’s Natural Beauty, a cosmetics and skincare business.

She never thought she would start her own small business, but after having her son, Brayden, she found her skin became more sensitive to retail skin products.

She started creating her own products and decided to sell them to others.

“I thought other people may have faced the same problems as me,” she said. Her 7-year-old son attended the rally with her to serve as her helper for the day, bagging lip glosses and body butters for customers.

Others set up shop for the day with their mothers’ businesses, including Niva Hawkins and her mom, Helen.

Helen Hawkins had been running her own decorating business for more than 20 years. With the help of her children, she’s also recently started up a vending portion of the business: A Party People.

Niva Hawkins said she was happy to spend the day with her mother, passing out walking tacos, slushies and cakes.

Helen Hawkins said she loved her work and was happy to spend her Mother’s Day with her children, music and new friends.

The rally also serves as a celebratory recognition of Tae Winston Day, which was officially proclaimed by Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims last year on May 15. The Dayton Foodbank will pass out free groceries and Chace Concessions, Winston’s son’s food truck, will hand out free hot dogs.

“I’ve been trying to give back to the community for so long,” Winston said. “It’s from the heart. I’ve been putting in the work. I never thought I would get my own day in Dayton. I just feel like I had to live up to it. I have to give back on that day and show people what it means to give to your community.”