Soul'd Out Food Truck Festival offers residents a taste of the city's culture

Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Durham on Sunday afternoon for the Soul'd Out food truck festival. The event was organized by Eriq Jones and Nick Jordan, who said they wanted to provide a safe and fun space for the community in the wake of recent gun violence.

"With having a good time, we also want to put a truce to all of this Durham violence," Jones, creator of Soul'd Out food truck festival, said. "We just want to bring everyone together and love on each other."

Jordan, owner of Durham Bottling Company, agreed, saying that the event was about "having fun and having good vibes."

In addition to food trucks, the festival featured music, vendors, and a bouncy house for children. Event-goers said they appreciated the opportunity to unite and celebrate the community.

"I was born and raised in Durham, so events like this, I always try and come out to support," said Brittney Jenkins. "Durham sometimes gets a bad rep in the news for violence but our city is a great place to live. Events like this keep the city strong."

Jenkins said she believes the community will get through this challenging time together.

The Soul'd Out food truck festival is the first of many events that Jones plans to host in Durham. Teaming up, Jones and Jordan aim to create a space where people can come together and enjoy themselves while also supporting local businesses.

"We are working to create a community space that encourages small businesses and retail," Jordan said. "We plan to host more outdoor fun and retail events, and we will jump at any opportunity."

Jordan says their main goal for these events is to support the community.