Atlanta Food and Wine Festival IS BACK! Sept. 9th-12th and I couldn’t be more happier to indulge and celebrate southern cuisine. The Atlanta Food and Wine Festival featured 250 restaurants, artisans, chefs and producers. Located in Midtown in the Historic Fourth Ward Park, the outdoor festival included unlimited food, cocktails, all-day entertainment and Yelp curators. Saturday/Sunday’s Tasting Tents started with VIP access from 1 – 2 p.m., followed by general admission from 2- 5 p.m. SobeSavvy.com attended Saturday’s event and here are some of my favorite highlights:

BITES

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There were endless food bite choices throughout the park. Truly a foodie heaven on earth! We tried pork belly, shrimp & grits, and sea scallops just to name a few! Saturday’s Tasting featured the festival’s first ever Barbecue Battle competition, where top chefs competed for the ‘Best Barbecue Bite’. This one was my fave because it had amazing flavor and it was melt in your mouth good!

SIPS

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Sip, Sip,, Hooray for Unlimited Wine, Beer and Spirits available for sampling at the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. My favorite rosé wine by Jean Luc Colombo was on tap and the Aperol Spritz definitely was the most colorful cocktail of the day. It literally was bright orange and also quite refreshing. Coca Cola was also onsite promoting their new zero sugar soda by using it in a few unique cocktails. White and Red Wine were available also by a number of wineries. Stella Artois had a great set up where guests were given a engraved classic beer glass. Black Owned Gladys Wine was on site promoting their delicious white wines from Hungary. Bourbon lovers enjoyed the Makers Mark Stand where they were making a signature cocktail called the “Gold Rush”. I plan to recreate the recipe as seen here at home!

SIGHTS

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Atlanta being one of the most diverse cities in America, made for great people watching. The Publix Demo Stage doubled as a shady respite from the sun and heat. For the first time in this event’s history, the live demos were included with admission. Guests watched some of their favorite chefs show their expertise and talent on the elevated stage. There were yard games like jenga and cornhole to play as well as selfie / Instagram worthy moments thanks to the beautiful lounge setups and creative backdrops by Boxwood Event Rentals. Check out this shot by yours truly:

In effort to curb hunger and reduce food waste, Atlanta Food & Wine Festival partnered with Second Helpings Atlanta to collect fresh, surplus food from the festival to donate to hunger relief agencies. In addition, they will support Children of Conservation, with proceeds dedicated to the conservation of endangered species through education, habitat preservation and wildlife sanctuary.  

We had a great time and encourage you to mark your calendars for next year’s event happening June 2-5,2022. For more information, go to atlfoodandwinefestival.com