INVERNESS, N.S. — Organizers say the Inaugural Cabot Trail Food Truck Rally, set for Oct. 26 and 27, offers a wonderful weekend of what's best about Cape Breton.
Alicia Lake, executive director of the Pan Cape Breton Food Hub and organizer of the rally, said the event will include food trucks and vendors placed at convenient locations around the Cabot Trail, with an average drive of 20-30 minutes between each. People will be able to stop, hike, enjoy food based on fresh local ingredients and head to the next location, while taking in the seasonal colours in the process.
“The motto is 'Hike, Eat and Repeat,'” Lake said. “You can keep doing that all weekend.
Combining hiking, eating and music, people can be entertained all weekend doing lots of hikes and listening to lots of music.”
Lake said the rally is actually an older idea that has been kicking around for a while, as part of Destination Cape Breton’s tourism strategy from a few years ago. Discussions continued enthusiastically since then, with Parks Canada and the Food Hub also coming on board.
“Lots of people had the idea, it’s just kind of manifesting this year,” Lake added.
FOOD FACTS
The food trucks and venues involved include:
Bungalow Beans-Beaver Tails Mobile, Back East Seafood, Big Spruce Brewing, Captain Capers Fish & Chips, Cruisin’ Cuisine Food Truck, Periwinkle Café, Stand and Stuff Your Face, The Dancing Moose, The Joint Mobile Grill, Community Oven and Open Kitchen Space, Doryman Pub & Grill, Cruisin’ Cap Rougien’s Cuisine, Danena’s Bakery & Bistro.
The event will actually start with an opening concert Friday at 7 p.m. at the Periwinkle Café in Ingonish. On Saturday the Doryman Pub & Grill in Cheticamp will be offering music and a closing party will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Big Spruce Brewing in Nyanza.
Steve Smith, of Coxheath, owner of Bungalow Beans, will be located at the Big Intervale Campground.
Smith said the idea behind the food trucks is they would be selling specialty items based on local ingredients. Smith said he roasts coffee that’s not local, but makes specialty drinks, including maple-chinos, using Cape Breton-sourced maple syrup.
“They wanted each to have a speciality item on board that was made from local items.”
Smith will have a variety of other fresh roasted coffee and espresso drinks on the truck.
As well he bakes "the Scottie" — an Italian cookie for dipping in coffee. Plans are to have other baked goods on hand as well.
Lakes said there will be lots of unique fun along the trail including with the Joint Mobile Grill setting up at the Inverness Margaree Library.
The library has a community brick oven and the the Joint Mobile Grill will be selling pizza kits.
“They will be selling other food but also food kits so people can buy it and cook (pizzas) in the community oven,” she said. “It’s really cool.“
In a press release Terry Smith, CEO of Destination Cape Breton, said this rally is a wonderful complement to their "Taste of Autumn" campaign that seeks to encourage visitation to the island from the conclusion of Celtic colours to the end of October.
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