HOPING FOR SUPPORT SATURDAY — This file photo is from the Weirton Food Truck Festival, which was held in 2019 for the first time. Although the event was canceled in 2020 because of COVID-19, it returns this Saturday to the Weirton Event Center, located at 3322 East St., and will be held from noon to 9 p.m. Hosted by the parent group for the Weir High Class of 2022, the festival will feature 15 food trucks, live entertainment on the stage throughout the day, several craft and product vendors, face painting, inflatables for children and a dunk tank. -- Contributed

WEIRTON — The parent group for the Weir High Class of 2022 will be hosting the second-annual Weirton Food Truck Festival on Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. at the Weirton Event Center, located at 3322 East St.

Two years ago, the Class of 2020 hosted the first food truck festival on what was a hot summer day, and organizers noted they couldn’t have been happier with the excitement and the number of people who attended from throughout the Tri-State Area.

“There were thousands in attendance throughout the day. It was a great way to spend the day with friends and family,” a spokesperson noted.

Admission to Saturday’s event is free and will include 15 food trucks featuring barbeque, hot dogs, Mexican food, pasta, African food, fresh-cut fries, ice cream, gyros, fish, nachos and more, according to event organizers.

There will be live entertainment on the stage throughout the day, several craft and product vendors, face painting, inflatables for children and a dunk tank.

“This event was so successful two years ago, and we would like to keep the tradition going for years to come,” explained Crissy Fierro, one of the committee members leading the event.

“Unfortunately, we had to cancel the event last year due to COVID, so we are excited to be able to bring this event back in an outdoor area with plenty of space for people to gather with their family,” she added.

“The variety of food trucks and entertainment that we have scheduled for the day will not disappoint,” Fierro said. Food trucks on board to participate include Taters, Rubbin Butts Barbeque, Steel City Chimneys, Tasty Taquitos, Revival Chili, Revival Pasta, Ash and Kris Kitchen, Brusters, Road Runner Dawgs, Mobile Chef, La Bella Margherita Wood Fire Pizza, Mallory’s Fish Hut, Kimilanjaro, Truckin’ Triangles and Mommalicious Food Truck.

“There will be a wide variety of food options to choose from,” added Kristin Bowman-Cross, one of the event organizers. To follow the event and announcements, search on Facebook for 2021 Weirton Food Truck Festival.

There will be free parking at the Millsop Community Center as well as parking in many public lots near the event center. Weirton transit is offering a complimentary shuttle from the community center lot to the event center for handicapped and others who may need it. There will be handicap parking available in the Strip Steel Credit Union parking lot, located on Main Street in Weirton.

The event is rain or shine, and there will be seating for more than 500 people, with much of that in the shade.

Not only will there be a large variety of food to choose from but there will be entertainment, according to the event organizers, who encourage attendees to bring their folding chairs to enjoy the live entertainment from the lawn throughout the day.

“We will start the day with DJ Mike with Music Express Entertainment and More spinning some fun dance music to get the crowd involved,” Bowman-Cross she said.

Seven South, a band that plays music from the 1980s through the 2000s, is scheduled to hit the stage at 2:30 p.m. At 4:15 p.m., DC Cardelli will be playing acoustic followed by Spinning Jenny performing at 5:30 p.m. Closing out the evening will be the Alt Rocks, an alternative rock band from Pittsburgh, who will take to the stage at 7:15 p.m.

The class is hoping for this event to bring the community together once again for a fun-filled day, according to organizers, who are thankful for the sponsors and their generous donations. The class will use the proceeds from this event to help pay for prom and other senior activities.

There are 75 student and parent volunteers who will be on hand that day cleaning up, selling drinks, working the popcorn and cotton candy machines and managing the dunk tank. “We have had great support from the community businesses for this event,” Fierro noted.