Jan. 8, 2021

A new event is bringing food trucks together for lunch on Tuesdays in the middle of what so far is a pretty mild winter.

Food Truck Tuesday will be in the parking lot of the new Liberty Hall in the former VFW building at Minnesota Avenue and 49th Street.

Diners can order food and bring it inside the hall to eat, said Liberty Hall volunteer Lynn Albers, who helped organize the event. Masks are required to enter the building and should be worn when people aren’t eating, she said.

The trucks will be there from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Jan. 19. Additional dates will be scheduled if enough customers show up, Albers said.

Tuesday’s lineup includes Fat Kid Filly’s, The Lunch Box, Tacos de Gringo, Watecha Bowl and Windy City Bites. Updates will be posted on the Food Truck Tuesday Facebook page and the event hall’s website, Albers said.

“The pandemic has been such a downer for so many people, we wanted to let people do something fun. A pandemic during the winter is the worst.”

The new owners of the building want to support small businesses and shopping local, Albers said, so they created a holiday craft and vendor market on Saturdays before Christmas. The events were so popular that they’ll continue with more handmade items and products from direct sales shops.

Saturday City will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays through March 27.

Masks are required, and hand sanitizer is available at the booths, Albers said.

“We try to keep it as safe as we can. When you think about it, it’s no different than going to the grocery store.”

Specific shopping events also have been scheduled. A Baby Bump Expo on Jan. 25 will offer a variety of local vendors who specialize in items for expectant mothers and babies.

Liberty Hall also can be booked for wedding receptions and other gatherings. For details on rates, amenities and available dates, call Albers at 605-277-8811.

The Fruit Truck Market has leased part of the building to sell fresh fruit, specialty items such as Hutterite pot pies, and kitchenware.

Liberty Hall gives 10 percent of its profits to local veterans.