The annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returns to Midtown Atlanta for its eighth year. From May 31 – June 3, more than 150 chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, and pit masters from Texas to the District of Columbia will come together to give guests a chance to know the South through immersive Learning Experiences, all-you-can-indulge Tasting Tents, and unique Dinners and Events. With classic Festival favorites and new offerings, this four-day event has plenty to satisfy everyone’s palate.
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival prides itself on having an extensive catalog of programs and events where guests can eat, drink and learn about the South’s rich food and beverage traditions from the region’s best talent. Below are some of the salivating offerings guests can choose from in 2018:
Learning Experiences
Whether a novice in the kitchen or a well-seasoned food and drink devotee, guests can customize their involvement through the Festival’s Learning Experiences. These unique technique laboratories, pairing sessions, tasting seminars, and panel discussions range in size from 40-150, so guests will never bite off more than they can chew. Class intermissions offer guests the additional opportunity to mingle and connect with talent after classes. New in 2018 is a series of Master Studios that will take place on Friday of the Festival. These immersive, two-hour sessions will engage guests in hands-on learning and will conclude with a cocktail event to show off each Studio’s offerings.
Celebrated Tasting Tents
Piedmont Park’s Greensward Promenade will once again provide the perfect backdrop for the Tasting Tents, which will take place on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon. The Tasting Tents will take guests on a culinary journey through the region, where they can sample the South’s top food and drink products and chef creations. Tasting Tents will also feature wine pop-up stations, a cocktail garden, live music, and interactive food and beverage pairing areas. New in 2018 is a Southern Marketplace for guests to purchase housewares and other Southern artisan goods and a pop-up tent by the Festival’s sister event, Wine Riot, which will be expanding into Atlanta in the Fall.
Unique Dinners and Events
Kicking off the 2018 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is Destination Delicious, a journey through 13 of the South’s top food and drink destinations. Guests can continue to indulge in the great flavors and fun of the Festival from dawn ‘til dusk with themed parties, intimate chef dinners, wine lunches, and Sunday brunch. Educational and delicious, the Festival’s dinners and events continue to take guests deep into the food and drink traditions of the South. New in 2018 is a move to the Festival’s Connoisseur Dinner Series more intimate with 30 – 40 seats per dinner. The Connoisseur Dinners are included with Connoisseur passes and available for individual purchase.
Acclaimed Advisory Council
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival continues to change the landscape of the culinary world with the introduction of an all-female Advisory Council. This esteemed group of 60 chefs, beverage innovators, sommeliers, and authors is charged with providing guests the most unique class concepts and curated experiences. The stellar lineup does not stop there. Presenters, which are both male and female Southern food and drink experts, will also offer guests panels, discussions, and unique experiences they won’t find anywhere else.
“We see the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival as convener of the South’s best talent, traditions, and stories. Each year, we take guests deeper into our Southern food and drink culture, adding to the previous years’ experiences,” said Dominique Love, Festival CoFounder. “In this eighth year, we are as passionate about wowing our guests with delicious, educational, entertaining and uniquely Southern experiences as we were in year one. And, this year, we’re delighted to showcase a new crop of talent to broaden our minds and plates.”
Guests can mingle with other devotees and talent, all while eating and drinking their way through the South. Through the ticket packages, food and drink lovers can customize their Atlanta Food & Wine Festival experience by taking part for a few hours, a day or even a weekend.
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- Individual Tasting Tent Pass – Designed to take guests on an epicurean journey through the South, the Festival’s Tasting Tents are not the typical Festival tasting experience. The all-you-can-indulge layout allows guests the opportunity to eat, drink and explore the region’s top food and drink products and chef creations while also celebrating international influences that have shaped our region. $85 per ticket Early Bird purchase ($100 per ticket after Friday, March 30).
- Day Pass – Day Passes are ideal for curious food and beverage enthusiasts who want to eat, drink, and learn. On Friday, pass holders will experience the new Master Studio format with a cocktail event and the Tasting Tents. Saturday pass holders will enjoy Learning Experiences, the Festival Tasting Tents, and class intermission sips and snacks. $135 (Friday) and $150 (Saturday) per ticket Early Bird purchase ($160 and $175 per ticket after Friday, March 30). 2-Day passes, which combine the Friday and Saturday experiences are available for $275 per ticket Early Bird purchase ($325 per ticket after Friday, March 30).
- Weekend Pass – If one day isn’t enough (and when it comes to Southern food and drink, one day is never enough!), the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival offers Weekend Passes for guests looking to expand their tastes and minds. Weekend Pass holders will experience Destination Delicious kick-off party on Thursday evening; Master Studios and the Tasting Tents on Friday; Learning Experiences with class intermission sips and snacks and the ADAC: Ingredients of Taste event on Saturday; and Sunday Brunch and Tasting Tents on Sunday. $370 per ticket Early Bird purchase ($435 per ticket after Friday, March 30).
- Connoisseur Experience – Created for the serious food and drink lover who wants the best the Festival has to offer, the Connoisseur Day and Weekend Passes are the perfect indulgence. Connoisseur pass holders will enjoy unique benefits, including access to the exclusive Connoisseur Lounge, which is a favorite gathering spot for the Festival’s Advisory Council and features breakfast, food, and beverage service throughout the day by award-winning talent. The Connoisseur Experience also includes access to Connoisseur-only classes; access to Connoisseur Dinner Series events; fast-track entrance into the Festival Tasting Tents, and a Connoisseur hospitality area in the Tents. The Connoisseur Day pass includes one dinner; the Connoisseur 2-Day pass includes two dinners, and the Connoisseur weekend pass includes two dinners and an evening event. All Connoisseurs have access to general classes and the Festival tasting tents and will receive a Connoisseur Gift Bag. Connoisseur tickets range from $500 – $1,500 per ticket Early Bird purchase ($600 – $1,800 per ticket after Friday, March 30).
- Dinners & Events – The Festival experience continues into the evenings as chef’s, sommeliers, and mixologists come together to curate dinners and signature parties for guests. The Dinners & Events are located throughout the city at private homes, restaurants, and unique Atlanta venues and are designed to showcase the South. Dinner and event tickets range from $55 – $250 per person, per dinner/event.
For more information about the festival and to purchase tickets click HERE.