Doug the Food Dude is preparing for First Night Alexandria. Credit Courtesy of Doug the Food Dude

New Year’s extravaganza First Night Alexandria has a new twist this year – food trucks.

Popped Republic and the Red Hook Lobster Pound will be serving from noon until midnight on Union Street at the Torpedo Factory Art Center while DC Slices and Doug the Food Dude will serve from noon until 10 p.m. at Jefferson-Houston School.

Popped Republic offers popcorn in a variety of flavors as well as water and soft drinks. Red Hook Lobster is bringing lobster rolls, shrimp rolls, clam chowder and whoopee pies, while DC Slices will be serving up pizza. Doug the Food Dude is offering Caribbean pork, chipotle chicken, lobster rolls, coffee and more.

The City of Alexandria allows food trucks on a limited basis for festivals and First Night falls under that classification, festival coordinator Anne Dorman told Patch.

“We had to gather the applications and fees and file them with a special request,” she said. “We have assigned them specific places to park and have applied to the city for reserved parking for the trucks. “

The health department will inspect each truck before they can open for business on Dec. 31.

For more information about the performance schedule for First Night Alexandria and how to purchase tickets, see the event website.

http://westendalexandria.patch.com/articles/first-night-gets-its-first-food-trucks#photo-7953500