Here's how to get unlimited food samples from your favorite restaurants

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This tailgate is a Fayetteville Foodie's dream.

At least two dozen restaurants and cafes will set up shop at the Crown Coliseum for Fayetteville Eats, the Fayetteville Marksmen's pregame event offering ticketholders unlimited food and drink samples and entry to the hockey game.

The event runs from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. — with 3 p.m. early entry for VIP ticket holders — and the Marksmen face off against the Vermillion County Bobcats at 6 p.m. Nov. 19.

Local businesses like Popcorn-Is-Us, Superior Bakery, El Cazador and Flavapalooza, as well as corporate chains like Hooter's, Dunkin Donuts and Carrabba's will serve on-site samples.

Alex Wall, the team’s president, said the event is designed for attendees to try as wide of a range of items as possible, and for restaurants to have their offerings seen by many people.

“People love the availability to try new things,” he said. “A lot of the vendors were new to some participants.”

The festival coincides with the Marksmen’s rebranding, a tradition where minor league teams change their name, logo and colors for a single game. Staying true to the focus on food, the team will rebrand to the Carolina Reapers, a chili pepper that's among the hottest in the world.

The first Fayetteville Eats event, held in March, garnered more than 600 attendees. Wall expects even more this year. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased online or at the door.

I'll be there, trying as many samples as I can. Don't hesitate to say hi! I'd love to meet you between bites.

Happy eating,

Taylor Shook

Taylor Shook covers food, dining and business for The Fayetteville Observer. Click here for her most recent articles or reach her at tshook@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville Eats: Marksmen food festival offers unlimited samples