Flavors of community: Aiken residents enjoying a weekend-long food festival downtown

ERIN WEEKS, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·2 min read

May 3—The weekend-long Aiken Foodees Food and Culture Festival began on Friday, where it drew a crowd of people looking to try new foods. The festival will continue until Sunday night.

One guest, Britni Palmer, came to the event to try one specific food: Lumpia, a type of fried spring roll. When she was asked what she was expecting from the Filipino dish, she said: "Heaven! Heaven in my mouth!"

A grandmother and granddaughter pair, Linda Hill and 9-year-old Olivia Hughes, were enjoying the festival together.

"We're here really just [to] eat food and have fun," said Hughes, who was especially looking forward to getting a Boba tea.

Hill said that she enjoys spending time at events like the festival with her granddaughter. "We like to do different things together," she said.

Courtney Lyles and Dalton Floyd shared a plate of crepes with Nutella and strawberries, a dish they got from The Sweet Coop food truck.

"It's delicious. I feel like I'm in Europe," said Lyles.

Lyles added that they weren't aware of the festival before stumbling across it, calling it a "lovely surprise."

Several food truck workers shared a little bit of background on the food they make and how festivals can benefit their business.

Tajmarie Preddie, co-owner of local Jamaican cuisine restaurant Jamrock Caribana, said that their establishment located on S.C. Highway 421 offers everything from plantains to oxtails.

Preddie said that vending at festivals helps bring exposure to the business.

"It also helps for everybody else to know what Jamaicans are all about, what Jamrock Caribana brings to the table," she said. "We just want to share our culture."

Diane Sniffin, co-owner of a North Carolina-based family business, The Sweetest Thing Ice Cream Shoppe, said that all of their ice cream is homemade in house. Boasting flavors like "Banana Pudding" and "Boston Cream Cake," the truck was a hit during Friday's hot weather.

Sniffin said of being part of the festival: "It gets us out here where other people can see us. Traveling is wonderful ... it's a great way for us to network too."

Jordan Pierce, co-owner of Heaven's Cuisine, said that their most famous dish is fried mac and cheese bites. "This event is important to us because we're all about bringing communities together and just expressing that through food," he said.