Submitted photo by Southside. Lil’ Slats Smokehouze, owned by Jess Allsup, at one of last year’s Taste of the Town in Southside.
Vendors return for the Taste of the Town Food Truck Festival at Southside City Hall on April 9 from 5 to 8 p.m.
The festival started a few years ago with the intention of bringing the community together and introducing a variety of food options to the city, Michael Weldon, Southside parks and recreation supervisor, said.
“I wanted something for the community,” Weldon said. “I love this community, and I wanted to do something to bring people together.”
The festival doesn’t just benefit the community; it also gives vendors who participate exposure. Providing an avenue for them to connect with potential catering opportunities like weddings, birthdays and parties.
“I’ve had some of (the vendors) tell me they have gotten more business, just by sitting up here,” Weldon said. “It’s actually helped them create more business throughout the community and county.”
The event runs from April to September on the second Thursday of the month and typically has between six to 11 vendors serving different types of food. Weldon said he tries to make sure they have shaved ice, desserts and popsicle vendors for the kids.
“It helps small businesses, it fosters social interaction and provides a variety of dining options,” Weldon said. “So we aren’t eating the same each and every week. It gives the community something else to choose from.”
