'It's fun being creative': Whoop-Up Days inspired food menu launches

LETHBRIDGE -

Those taking in the food at this year’s Whoop-Up Days festival can expect to see a few different items on the menu.

A new Whoop-Up Days inspired food list has been launched, with the help of food trucks on the grounds.

"I have deep-fried tequila shots this year," said Deanna Levavasour with Santeria Food Truck.

"Traditionally, they're made with angel food cake, but I’ve put a spin on it and used churros so it's deep-fired churros with honey and tequila sauce with a margarita-lime icing."

Twenty of the food trucks at this year's festival are serving up specialty dishes -- anything from loaded cowboy burgers to Blue Heat Takis corn dogs to Whoopie pies.

"It’s a lot of fun being creative and cooking and just sharing our food items with people," Levavasour said.

This is the first year the special menu has been offered.

"A lot of people seem to cling on to the Lethbridge and District Pro Rodeo, so you'll see a lot of pro rodeo inspired items that sort of take that western flare to them," explained Paul Kingsmith, director of community engagement with the Lethbridge and District Exhibition.

Kingsmith says the idea was born last year, with a growing desire to get involved.

"One of the main reasons why people come here is to experience all the different foods that there is to offer," he said.

"The food truck interest in Whoop-Up Days this year, it's the first time a lot of us can remember where the demand exceeded our capacity to keep food trucks here."

The special menu consists of 27 items.

Those involved say it's a great way to show off their culinary skills and drum up business throughout the week.

"People come to these events and they want their mini donuts, their corn dogs, so we usually do well on the second half of events like this," said Maddie Cook with Mad Bagel Co.

"We have a Whoop-Up Bagelwich and we've sold a lot of them, so it goes to show that the interest is out there."