Hattiesburg held its fifth annual Food Truck Festival, The Taste of the South, downtown Oct. 4, featuring multiple food trucks, vendors and music from DJ Kuhjo.
The Hattiesburg Jaycees hosted the festival in partnership with Fairley’s Wings & More. The event featured a diverse selection of local and regional food trucks and vendors. Attendees had food options ranging from seafood and barbecue to international flavors and sweet treats.
Karl Eisenring, president of Junior Chamber International, said the festival supports several key goals for the community.
“Part of being a Jaycee is community development, economic impact, individual development, and this event covers all of that,” Eisenring said.
He added that events like this boost tax revenue for Hattiesburg and South Mississippi.
The event drew more than 3,000 people to downtown Hattiesburg. The streets were filled with people dancing, eating, drinking and exploring local attractions such as The Lucky Rabbit and the Pocket Museum.
One food truck, Nasty Cajun Seafood from New Orleans, sold out within the first three hours.
“From New Orleans to Hattiesburg, we came over and shut it down. We sold out within three hours,” said Malik Muhammad, owner of Nasty Cajun Daiquiri and Seafood.
Like Muhammad, many other food vendors sold out before the event ended. The festival ran from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., featuring more than three dozen vendors this year. Proceeds from the event will go toward leadership development programs for future community leaders.
Upcoming local events include Live at Five at Town Square Park on Oct. 10 and the Fall Festival at the Forrest County Farmers Market on Oct. 11.
For more information about Hattiesburg events, visit visithburg.org.
