Photo Provided by James Barlip Five foods trucks will be featured at the Moundsville Food Truck Festival, which will be held at the Simpson United Methodist Church parking lot on 7th Street from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Thursdsay, May 1.

MOUNDSVILLE — The Moundsville Food Truck Festival will return to the city this week after proceeds from its last rendition in August 2024 raised enough money to supply the Shepherd’s Pantry in Moundsville with a full month of food supplies.

The event will feature five local food trucks and be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday at the Simpson United Methodist Church parking lot on 7th Street.

All proceeds will support the Shepherd’s Pantry in Moundsville.

Past favorites and new food trucks will participate this year, with Izzy’s Food Truck, Shreff’s Hometown BBQ, Dr. Sweet, Ig’s Piggs BBQ and Mason Dixon BBQ set to participate. Due to the event’s popularity amongst its vendors, Shepherd’s Pantry Board President James Barlip said it will now be held twice a year in the spring and fall.

“Normally we just hold it in the fall, but over the past two years vendors have been making suggestions to hold it in the springtime, too, so I said, ‘Why not?'” Barlip said. “We’re going to try to hold it this Spring too and see how the turnout and profits are.”

Barlip said turnout for the festival has grown each time they’ve held it over the past three years. The donations raised at the festival last year supplied a month of food for Shepherd’s Pantry clientele. Barlip hopes holding the festival two times annually will now keep the pantry stocked for two months out of the year.

“Our organization runs by donations only, and we have no steady income from it,” Barlip said. “Churches, the community and local businesses all help keep us going. This food truck festival helps provide a little more for us to keep our shelves stocked.”

In addition to assisting the Shepherd’s Pantry, Barlip said the festival is popular amongst local food trucks due to the new audience it provides them. He said the vendors enjoy ” getting their names out there” and acquiring repeat customers through the event.

Barlip added that a variety of food would be available from the trucks at the festival, including “delicious” smash burgers from Izzy’s Food Truck and beef brisket sandwiches from Ig’s Piggs BBQ. A dish Barlip looks forward to every festival is Shreff’s Hometown BBQ’s “redneck eggroll,” which contains pulled pork, BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

“I’m not sure what they all put in that egg roll, but it just melts in your mouth,” Barlip said. “I try to have one every time.”

Tents and tables will be set up in the parking lot for attendees to sit, eat their food and socialize.

“I hope people come down for the great food and fellowship with local people around here,” Barlip said. “I know our church minister from Simpson United Methodist Church is always socializing at the festival.”

Barlip is excited to see the turnout for the event, noting that more than 300 people responded to the Facebook post about attending the festival. Barlip has also been visiting local businesses with his 4-year-old son, Jude Barlip, to hand out flyers.

“When we first held the festival, Rick Healy, the City Manager, said it was rare to see that kind of community involvement,” Barlip said. “That was part of my encouragement to continue doing this festival, and when the vendors also encouraged me to hold it more often, that was even more motivation. Seeing that it gets better each time, makes me grateful to live in a community that cares about people who need assistance and wants to support them.”