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Limerick Delivers for Food Lovers at International Food Truck Festival 2017
Limerick Delivers for Food Lovers at International Food Truck Festival 2017; Picture Sean Curtin True Media
Around 40,000 food lovers have descended on Limerick this June Bank Holiday Weekend for the first ever Limerick International Food Truck Festival 2017.
Since last Thursday (June 1st) Limerick has been a mecca for foodies and families with the first dedicated festival of its kind in Ireland taking place in the city centre in the historic and beautiful surroundings of the People’s Park.
Thousands of visitors sampled food from food trucks from 14 countries along with some of Limerick’s and Ireland’s finest traders.
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Festival goers feasted on some of the most appetising, innovative, original foods and were presented with new twists on some old classics like pizza, pasta, fries and gourmet sandwiches along with many never before seen dishes on Irish shores.
Tracey Sweeney and Pio Higgins pictured at the Peoples Park. Picture Sean Curtin True Media
The trucks serving crocodile and lobster were hugely popular while the owners of the Belgian artisan chocolate truck said it was their busiest weekend since they started four years ago.
Food trucks travelled from all over Europe, as part of the European Food Truck Festival which is visiting only five locations across the continent this summer – Brussels, Limerick, Riga, Dijon and Bologna.
The Limerick International Food Truck Festival 2017 also feature live music every day during the festival and a selection of great craft beers on offer as well as lots of family fun entertainment including a vintage carnival.
Alan Woods, President of the Food Truck Association of Ireland, and co-owner of Mexican Food Dudes, who led the campaign to get the festival to Limerick, said: “We’ve been absolutely astounded with the reaction from the food truck operators and the festival goers. It’s been an amazing five days.”
“We were initially a bit anxious that everything would go smoothly but in the end didn’t need to worry.”
“The food truck operators who came here were delighted with the setup. The People’s Park is such an amazing location.”
“All the suppliers did Trojan work over the Bank holiday weekend, making sure that the operators had enough supplies. We aimed to have 90 per cent of supplies being locally sources and we did that.”
“This was key as it meant the Food Truck operators didn’t have to transport over huge refrigerated trucks with supplies.”
“All the operators said they would definitely be coming back next year and they are going to spread the word to others to come and visit Limerick.”
“We are going to have a detailed review of the festival and see where we go from there. It was the first year of the event so we have learned a lot.”
Darragh Ryan from Limerick City and County Council said: “Everything went very well over the weekend, despite the inclement weather.”
“We have reached our target of 40,000 visitors, which is an amazing number since it is the first ever time we’ve held the festival and people didn’t really know what a food truck festival was.”
“We pitched this as a food event with extras such as music and a carnival and we have delivered.”
“The People’s Park proved such an ideal location, the festival has shown off the massive potential the site has for events.”
To find out more about the International Food Truck Festival 2017, click here.
To read more about the International Food Truck Festival 2017, click here.
