901 Fair Food Festival/Facebook
For the most part, 2020 has been canceled. Without our regularly scheduled fairs and festivals, this has sadly meant a severe lack of fair foods. We’re talking Pronto Pups, chicken on a stick, turkey legs, roasted corn, and funnel cakes. Wouldn’t those things make this COVID-stricken year a tad bit better?
Enter the 901 Fair Food Fest (formerly named the 901 Fair Foods Drive-Thru), organized by Brian Ellsworth of Southwood Entertainment Group. The event, which was originally scheduled to begin October 15th at the Agricenter, has been moved to the Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi, and will be held October 21st to 28th.
“This has been a devastating year financially in the entertainment world, and especially for food vendors,” says Ellsworth. “This gives them a shot to bring in some money and also give them a sense of some normalcy, getting out there and doing what they love to do.
“For the public, the restrictions have been loosened a little bit, we’ve gotten out there, but this gives us some sense of normalcy as well. It also gives us something to do with the family outside of the house that is still safe, socially distanced.”
The revised event in Southaven will not be a drive-thru setup, but will allow visitors to walk up to vendors and order food.
“We’ll be encouraging masks, and there will be social distancing at each vendors’ location,” Ellsworth says. “You’ll be led where to park, and we’ll have the food vendors spread out. We will have some seating areas arranged there, but most people will take it back to their cars, take it home, or eat in their car.”
The 901 Fair Food Fest is free to attend, with opening day on Wednesday, October 21st, from 4 to 9 p.m. The event will also be open Thursday, October 22nd, through Wednesday, October 28th, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. More than 100 fair food items will be available for purchase.
For more information, visit 901fairfoodfest.com.