World Food Festival's taste menu price doubles to $2

The World Food & Music Festival starts today with 18 new vendors and a taste menu that has doubled in price.

Catch up fast: The downtown event started almost 20 years ago with about two dozen vendors.

• There are more than 50 this year, selling food representative of 26 countries.

Driving the news: The longtime $1 taste menu offered by most vendors costs $2 this year due to inflation, Amelia Klatt, director of events for the Greater DSM Partnership, tells Axios.

State of play: Some newer metro spots are taking part in this year's festival. Among them:

• Tullpa, a South American fusion restaurant near Merle Hay Mall.
• Taste of Soul Home Cooking, which operates out of a commercial kitchen near the Drake Diner.

Zoom in: There's also new Thai, Chinese and Japanese food vendors.

• Cake It Away Baby, Whip Delight and Kimmy Cakes are among the new dessert spots.

If you go: The festival is at Western Gateway Park from 11am-10pm Friday and Saturday; 11am-5pm Sunday.

• Admission is free and so is parking at Nationwide Parking Garage, near 12th and Walnut streets.