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Railgating Kicks Off For Hungry Vikings Fans

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Vikings fans will have a new way to get pumped up for Sunday's game against the 49ers. It's a twist on tailgating, called railgating.

Obviously with a stadium set in the middle of an urban area, there's not a lot of parking lot space to tailgate like at Lambeau or Cowboy stadium.

Over the next few years the city is really going to focus on enhancing the game-day experience downtown.

And this is a first look at how they are going to do that -- Sunday is the first day fans can experience railgating.

Vikings fans who come downtown will come across what's being called the Purple Path.

The city will be blocking off the area of 5th Street South between 5th Avenue and Portland.

On Sunday, 16 food trucks will be serving up breakfast and lunch starting at 7 a.m., until game time.

Some of the menus include creme brulee french toast, breakfast burritos, or bourbon french toast with soft eggs and lobster.

This is the first time the food trucks will be up and running on a Sunday morning.

"I think it adds a lot of vitality to the city and hopefully it brings people that don't come down here otherwise and it's just people on streets," said Luke Derheim, a food truck owner. "It's a great mix of people to come together and experience great food."

This is just the first weekend and the city plans to eventually expand the Purple Path from the Warehouse District through the Armory District down to the stadium.

Basically, they just want to paint this area purple on game day.

Mayor R.T. Rybak has some incentive for Sunday's fans -- earlier this week he said he'll be at Brother's Bar and plans to buy a beer for the Vikings fan in the most outlandish costume.

"We're trying to give people a taste of Minnepaolis and a taste of the game day experience," said Vikings fan Cory Merrifield. "Who knows, maybe we'll get some Vikings ticket holders or people who don't necessarily come down during games to realize the fun and fibrancy in downtown Minneapolis."

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