A West Belfast bar and restaurant is preparing to bring a street food celebration to the local area this weekend with a unique catering van event.
On Saturday, the Glenowen will hold its first ever 'Cater Truck Market' in association with Cater Trucks NI - a group of vendors who have come together to offer a one-stop shop for events.
Nine food and drink trucks will set up shop in the car park of the Glen Road venue offering the public a taste of some of Northern Ireland's best vendors including Mexican food, pizza, cocktails and more.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, owner of the Glenowen, Laurence Burns, said how he hoped the event can show off what the west of the city can offer and bring something new and exciting to the public.
Laurence said: "Sam Smith, founder of Cater Trucks NI, came to me when I launched my own separate cocktail business from the Glenowen, which plays on the name of The Crooked Man (Glenowen's bar), Crooked Cocktails which I started just at the end of 2020.
"It's a unique wee truck which I can provide an alcohol licence with alongside the truck. This event is us getting together to showcase what we can all do and expose West Belfast to a bit of what we are all about."
He added how January can often be a quieter month of the year for hospitality and vendors and by hosting this unique market, they can show off what the vendors can offer while giving the local people a free fun event to enjoy over the weekend.
"We are just hoping to make a bit of a day of it you know," Laurence said.
"Sam will be bringing the street food side of things, there is a South African food truck, a Mexican food truck so you are going to be able to get some flavours and delicacies from around the world.
"I'll be putting on some hot and cold cocktail drinks at Crooked Cocktails with different mixology methods you will be able to see on the day."
There will be seating areas, marquees and heaters at the event so customers can either go in and enjoy their food on-site or are welcome to grab a takeaway or bottled cocktails to enjoy at home.
Laurence continued: "We are hoping to bring some footfall and traffic into the area and we will also have live music in the bar from 6.30pm if anyone wants to enjoy it.
"I think the west is very underrated in terms of their appetite for all this - we started the comedy night when no one in the area had done one before - the west is crying out for events like this.
"With the price of taxis heading into the city centre and how hard it is to get home on a Saturday night, bringing something like this should attract a nice crowd."
He hopes that this is only the beginning of these types of events at the Glenowen and the local area.
The Cater Truck Market is on at the Glenowen on the Glen Road on Saturday, Janaury 28 from 2pm to 9pm.
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