NETHERWORLD HAUNTED HOUSE CELEBRATES 25 SEASONS OF SCREAMS IN 2021

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/7/21

Top Haunted House in the Country Announces Highly-Anticipated Themes for This Fall

Haunt season is lurking around the corner and the team behind the world-renowned NETHERWORLD Haunted House is ready to reveal the terrifying themes for its 25th anniversary, RISE OF THE NETHERSPAWN and RETURN TO PLANET X in 3D. Ready to immerse yourself in a nightmare world of classic horror? Enter RISE OF THE NETHERSPAWN! In the deepest caverns below the cursed city of Whyshburg an ancient creature summons an army of horrific nightmares led by the twin abominations, FEAR and TERROR, as a colossal storm of shadows engulfs the world to conceal this army of horrors from the NETHERWORLD! Are you prepared for a mind-melting adventure using advanced 3D technology? Thrill-seekers will put on 3D glasses to explore a top-secret facility filled with bizarre rips in the very fabric of reality, confront malignant alien life forms and find a way to make them RETURN TO PLANET X!

“Our 25th anniversary is a huge milestone that we are very proud of,” said Ben Armstrong, NETHERWORLD Haunted House co-creator. “We wouldn’t be where we are without the devoted haunt fans that have made NETHERWORLD a Halloween tradition in the Atlanta area and beyond!  We have a ton of new amazingly terrifying surprises for everyone to experience and a lot of classic characters from our history-making a triumphant comeback.  It will definitely be an unforgettable season of screams!”

More about this year’s two haunts:

RISE OF THE NETHERSPAWN:
Fulfilling the wishes of The Collector, a primordial monster known as The Ganoga will summon the twins, FEAR and TERROR, to lead an invasion of hideous creatures from the NETHERWORLD! Bone-crunching Berserkers and flesh-rending Rabid lead the charge, hidden deep within the swirling mists and flashing lightning of a colossal storm of shadows! Will the maelstrom conceal the crawling horrors from their helpless victims, or will they glimpse the RISE OF THE NETHERSPAWN in time to flee for their lives?

Featuring: The Storm of Shadows, Trapped in the Wreckage, the Fisherman’s Nightmare, Eaten by the Old Ones, the Collector’s Crypt, the Starving Skull, the Jaws of Fate, the Swamp of the Lost, the Maggots of Madness, the Rage of the Rabid, the Berserkers Revenge, the Goblin Horde, the Court of the Warlord and the Soul Eater Unleashed! Twenty-five years of never-ending nightmares culminates in this apocalyptic festival of destruction as guests witness the RISE OF THE NETHERSPAWN!

RETURN TO PLANET X:
In the secret base known as the BOX, an experiment gone wrong has broken down the very fabric of time and space releasing bizarrely colorful mutagenic energy through dimensional gateways all over the facility! Weird, malevolent life forms stalk victims throughout the complex and the very fabric of reality is crumbling. Exobiologist, Dr. Otto Gloman, has gone into the rift equipped with a powered space suit, to stop the horror and force it to RETURN TO PLANET X in 3D! Guests will put on special 3D glasses and help him defeat this bizarre invasion before it consumes the entire planet.

Featuring: The Ghastly Gloaming, the Horror of the Hunes, the Malevolent Mutations, the Power of the Pyramid, the Secrets of the Serpent Men, the Paradox of Planet X, the Revenge of the Reptilians, the Primal Polymorphs, the Color Out of Space, the Mega Xeno Arthropod and the Nightmares from Beyond Time! Those who are brave enough to join the daunting mission will be pressured to retain a fragile grip on reality while viewing this world of horror through 3D glasses as they RETURN TO PLANET X.

“As our 25th anniversary approaches, we continue to take the necessary COVID-19 precautions to keep scare fans safe,” said Billy Messina, NETHERWORLD Haunted House co-creator. “As we did last year, we have procedures in place regarding ticketing, sanitizing and more that will help ensure a safe environment for both guests and employees alike.”

Adrenaline seekers looking for a little extra adventure can still get their fix while anxiously awaiting this season’s haunts through NETHERWORLD’s escape rooms and outdoor laser tag arena. Both NETHERWORLD Laser Adventure and Escape the NETHERWORLD remain vigilant in light of COVID-19. For more details including information on safety measures for all NETHERWORLD offerings or to purchase tickets, visit www.escapethenetherworld.com or www.netherworldlasertag.com.

DATES:
Sept. 24-25, 2021
Oct. 1-3, 6-10, 12-17, 19-31, 2021
Nov. 5-7 and 12-13, 2021

September Dates: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Monday – Thursday in October: 7:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday in October: 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Sunday in October: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
November Dates: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

TICKETS:
Tickets will be available to purchase soon at www.fearworld.com. Capacity will be limited this season. All tickets are date and time specific and include entry into both RISE OF THE NETHERSPAWN and RETURN TO PLANET X in 3D.

DRAGON CON ADOPTS HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/1/21

Changes Create a Convention That is Both Fun and Helps Prevent Spread of COVID

 

Masks Are Required for All Fans, Attendance Will Be Capped, Panel Room Capacities Will Be Reduced, and Venues Will Follow Stepped Up Cleaning Protocols

UPDATED: Vaccine Card or Negative Covid Test now required.

 

Updated: Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, will require that everyone who attend the live convention show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test before entering the convention.

In order to pick up their badges, all attendees will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of arriving at the convention. The new guidelines arrive as the Delta variant is causing more COVID-19 cases worldwide, including “breakthrough” infections of vaccinated individuals.

Dragon Con, the internationally known science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention, has adopted a number of health & safety protocols designed to help reduce the spread of COVID while making the convention fun and memorable for all returning fans.

Now in its 35th year, Dragon Con runs from Thursday, Sept. 2 to Monday, Sept. 6 with events and activities across five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta – and AmericasMart Buildings One and Two.

“We are excited to welcome fans back to Atlanta for this milestone convention,” said convention co-chair Rachel Reeves. “While the health and safety of our fans is always a priority, we have worked hard this year to balance the need to protect our fans’ health with our tradition of throwing an awesome convention that fans will remember.”

The protocols include a requirement that all fans wear a mask while indoors in a convention venue, reduced attendance during the convention by reducing the number of memberships available for sale before the convention, reduced room capacities in ballrooms, panel rooms, and other programming spaces, and increased cleaning and sanitation throughout the venues.

Other changes are designed to reduce congestion, improve traffic flow, and increase personal spacing within the convention venues.

In addition, Dragon Con encourages all fans to get a vaccination as it has been shown to offer the most personal protection from illness related to this pandemic. It also encourages fans to stay home if they do not feel well, or have been recently exposed to somebody with COVID.

To help spread the joy that is Dragon Con to fans who are not comfortable with attending a live convention (or who are blocked by international travel restrictions), Dragon Con Goes Virtual, a live-streamed version of the convention, will be available for fans to enjoy from the comfort of their own home in the company of close friends and family.  A Dragon Con Goes Virtual subscription is $10.

The protocols and convention changes are listed below and will be available on the convention’s website: https://www.dragoncon.org/updates/

 

Face masks and reduced attendance

  • Appropriate face masks will be required at all times inside convention venues regardless of vaccination status, in keeping with updated CDC guidelines (link to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html) and City of Atlanta requirements (link to https://www.atlantaga.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/52010).
  • In 2021, Dragon Con will have reduced capacity from prior years. We have worked closely with our hotels and AmericasMart to determine how many people are permitted in the buildings each day and at a given time and taken further steps to reduce capacity to allow for personal spacing.
  • There will be no Saturday-only membership sales before or during the convention. One-day badges will only be available for Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday.
  • Related to that, there will be no onsite membership sales to reduce congestion, increase social distance, and improve traffic at badge pickup in the Sheraton. If memberships are available for purchase, they will only be available online through Growtix.

Room capacity, including Walk of Fame

  • All panel rooms and other programming venues will have a reduced 2/3rds maximum capacity at all times.
  • In the Walk of Fame, we will have approximately 50 percent fewer guests signing to provide for better spacing, personal distancing, traffic flow, and line management. There will be a one-way flow enforced throughout the room and limited capacity at all times. Additional safety precautions may be enforced, including temperature checks.

Traffic flow, congestion, and personal distancing

  • Badge checks will be expanded across the show to support the capped attendance and spacing.  If you don’t have a membership for Dragon Con, we ask that you participate in some of our awesome virtual elements highlighted below, as the hotels will be closed to badge-holding members only.
  • Lines for events and panel programming will be closed once we reach the 2/3rds reduced room capacity to reduce the number of people congregating in an area and to improve traffic flow. As always, ballrooms will be cleared between panels and the existing line policy, #18 described here (https://www.dragoncon.org/about/dragon-con-policies/) remains in effect and will be strictly enforced.
  • Other specific changes to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion include.

o   The Concourse Stages will have longer breaks between each performance, rotating between both locations with fewer bands and performances overall.

o   Fan tables will not be openly available for 2021 to reduce lobby congestion and improve traffic flow.

o   Our traditional arcade partner, Joystick Game Bar will move from AmericasMart to a unique pop-up experience located at 161 Peachtree Center Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, with activities going on from 10a – 4a daily.  Dragon Con members get in free.

o   The Chosen Costume Contest, hosted annually at Dragon Con Night at the Georgia Aquarium, will take a hiatus to prevent crowding.

Venue cleaning

  • Our venues have adopted enhanced cleaning protocols and are committed to delivering above and beyond the sanitation standards established.  If you would like details, we encourage you to check with each property individually.
  • All panel rooms and programming spaces will be closed twice a day for deep cleaning – once during the day and once overnight. These closures will happen on a rolling basis, with specific times indicated in the app, so there will ALWAYS be lots of programming options to choose from.
  • Gaming in AmericasMart Building 1 will have limited hours to meet our cleaning commitments and other enhanced safety measures. The building will be closed from 2 am – 8 am daily.  Open gaming will be available in the Savannah Ballroom will be available 24 hours a day, except during daily cleaning periods.

Other changes

 

  • Because children under 12 years old are not recommended for the COVID vaccine, the Kids Track will not host the Kids’ Character Encounter or Family-Friendly Dance.
  • We are excited to again partner with Epic Photo Ops, who has adjusted their policies with the safety and wellbeing of our guests and fans in mind, including limiting the number of individuals in a photo op.  For a detailed listing of additional protocols, visit https://epicphotoops.com/covid-19.
  • We have received our parade permit and at this time will host a modified and scaled back parade. A Dragon Con membership is required to view the parade live and in person for 2021. All others can watch the parade on CW69, our broadcast partner, or on line at YouTube and other social media platforms.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2 -Sept. 6, 2021) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

BATTLE OF THE DECADES SILENT DISCO AT BUCKHEAT THEATRE

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/1/21

Saturday, August 14 9pm

Buckhead Theatre

Battle of the Decades Silent Headphone Party is a general admission Ultimate Silent Disco Party being held at Buckhead Theater! There will be 3 Live DJ playing 3 different genres of music at the same time; 80/90’s vs Y2k vs NOW. Mark your calendars for the Ultimate Silent Headphone Party 3 Live DJs playing 3 different genres of music at the same time. Spinning your favorite dance and sing-along hits from 80’s/90’s, Y2k, and NOW all in one amazing venue space. These three DJs will be broken into green, red, and blue stations where you can adjust the volume and choose between our three styles of music with the flick of a switch. Each headset has a multi-colored LED that shows which channel you’re listening to. Tickets are $15.

Link to tickets here.

DRAGON CON NAMES ITS 2021 ARTIST AND LITERARY GUESTS OF HONOR

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/26/21

Convention Retains Big Brothers Big Sisters as its Official 2021 Charity

 

Dragon Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy, sci-fi, and gaming convention, has named American fantasy artist William Stout and American fantasy and science fiction writer John Scalzi as its 2021 Artist and Literary Guests of Honor.

The convention also announced that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta will remain the official charity for this year’s convention. BBBS had previously been announced as the 2020 charity partner, but no fundraising effort was made last year after the convention, responding to the pandemic, shifted to an all-virtual format.

Now in its 35th year, Dragon Con 2021 runs from Thursday, Sept. 2 to Monday, Sept. 6 with events and activities across five host hotels – Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Marriott Marquis, Hilton Atlanta, Westin Peachtree, and Sheraton Atlanta – and AmericasMart Buildings #1 and #2.

Since 2013, the convention has consistently raised more than $100,000 for each of its annual official charities, including a dollar-for-dollar match from the convention up to an additional $100,000.  Funds are raised through convention-based auctions, special merchandise sales, special events, and the convention match.

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Nearly half a million children in Metro Atlanta live in communities with low or very low child well-being. The organization’s vital mission is to recruit volunteers to become mentors to children facing adversity, with a goal of matching each child with an adult who will ignite their full potential.

“Every kid is a bundle of potential, and we love Big Brothers Big Sisters because they help kids unlock that potential and find their right path. We’re proud to have them as our official charity this year,” said Rachel Reeves, convention co-chair.  “We are equally delighted to have William and John join us as our Guests of Honor this year. Their creative output has fascinated and entertained science fiction and fantasy fans for a generation, even longer.”

Beginning with its first convention in 1987, Dragon Con has recognized an author and an artist whose creative contributions to the realms of fantasy and science fiction are widely recognized as among the very best as Literary and Artist Guests of Honor. Both Stout and Scalzi will be recognized throughout the event for their contributions to their individual fields, and will be on hand to meet fans and participate in panels to provide insight into their success and love of fandom.

Stout is an artist of exceptional breadth, ranging from fantasy-oriented comics, graphic novels, magazines, and movie posters – as well as the longest running Dragon Con logo – early in his career to production design work for 30 feature films, including Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and two Conan films. In the 1980s, he created a ground-breaking reconstruction of dinosaurs leading to a book and six-year travelling paleoart exhibit that served as an acknowledged influence on Michael Crichton’s book Jurassic Park, while also working on the creation of theme park attractions for Walt Disney and Universal Studios as well as rock band ZZ Top’s Recycler tour. In the late 1990s, William dedicated himself to explaining the complex beauty of Antarctica through art, leading to a traveling exhibit, an award-winning book, and ongoing work as a natural history muralist. For more information, see www.williamstout.com.

Scalzi, a multiple Hugo Award winning science fiction novelist best known for his Old Man’s War series of novels and his popular Whatever blog. In addition to 23 novels and novellas, he has written short fiction, non-fiction books, and columns on diverse topics such as finance, video games, films, astronomy, writing, and politics, and served as a creative consultant for the TV series Stargate Universe. His total output has garnered a score of awards, including a 2020 Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction novel for The Last Emperox. Scalzi served as president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America from 2010 to 2013. At 2020’s Dragon Con Goes Virtual, he was one of the most popular guests, leading fan discussions, bringing fans (virtually) into his kitchen to make burritos, and spinning tunes overnight with his deejay skills.  For more information about Scalzi, visit whatever.scalzi.com.

About Dragon Con

Dragon Con is the internationally known pop culture convention held each Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2 -Sept. 6, 2021) in Atlanta. Organized for fans, Dragon Con features more than 3,500 hours of comics, film, television, costuming, art, music, and gaming over four days. For more information, please visit www.dragoncon.org and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

THE FANDEMIC DEAD WALKS INTO ATLANTA SEPTEMBER 17-19 *POSTPONED TO 2022*

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/26/21

Comic-Con Brings “The Walking Dead” Celebrities, Cosplayers and Fans
Together for a Weekend of Excitement
WHAT:
Fandemic Dead
WHEN:
Friday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021

WHERE:
Georgia World Congress Center Building A
285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW
Atlanta, GA 30313

TICKETS:
Three-day General Admission Passes, as well as individual day passes, are currently for sale here. Fans can also purchase VIP Admission, Autograph and Photo Op tickets.

Making its debut this September, the Fandemic Dead tour is bringing “The Walking Dead” to life where it all began in downtown Atlanta. Produced by former CEO of Wizard World, John Macaluso, Fandemic Dead is a three-day event where fans will have the opportunity to meet their favorite celebrity cast members, producers, cosplayers, and artists, as well as learn more about pop culture as a whole. With more than 20 notable names and faces already announced on the weekend roster, Fandemic Dead is a fan dream for more reasons than just the lineup.

“Atlanta is the birthplace of ‘The Walking Dead’ series, so it only feels right to experience this here. I can’t wait to gather all of the cast members, creators and fans together in such a meaningful place,” said Macaluso, Fandemic Tour CEO. “Following Dragon Con, we’re excited to be one of the first, larger, in-person events back on the books for Atlanta. We can already feel the support especially from diehard fans who have already helped spread the word about our convention.”

After 11 seasons, four spinoff series and the announcement of a spin-off film, Fandemic Dead will bring current and former cast members of “The Walking Dead” back together for Q&A sessions, photo ops, autographs, and discussion panels to give fans an exclusive insight into “The Walking Dead” Universe. See the full list of already-announced celebrities attending Fandemic Dead below.

Norman Reedus
The Walking Dead, Boondock Saints  

Jeffrey Dean Morgan
The Walking Dead, Super Natural

Steven Yeun
The Walking Dead, Voltron

Michael Rooker
The Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy

Tom Payne
The Walking Dead, Fear of the Walking Dead

Melissa McBride
The Walking Dead, The Mist

Michael Cudlitz
The Walking Dead, Southland

David Morrissey
The Walking Dead, Doctor Who

Bruce Campbell
Evil Dead

Jon Bernthal
The Walking Dead, Punisher

Chandler Riggs
The Walking Dead, A Million Little Things

Cooper Andrews
The Walking Dead, Halt and Catch Fire

Cassady McClincy
The Walking Dead, Ozark

Nadia Hilker
The Walking Dead, Allegiant 

Ryan Hurst
The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy

Sean Patrick Flanery
Boondock Saints, Saw

David Della Rocco 
Boondock Saints

Greg Nicotero
The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead

…and more to be announced.

Tickets for Fandemic Dead vary in price. See below for more details.

General Admission tickets are available at the following price points:
$40 — Friday Pass (Hours 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
$60 — Saturday Pass (Hours 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)
$50 — Sunday Pass (Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
$86 — Full Weekend Pass (admission for all three days)

Fandemic Fanatic VIP — $175 — (3-day pass, early admission, fast pass for photo ops/autographs (behind Celebrity VIP passholders), swag bag and VIP reserve seating at panels).

Fandemic Dead is also accepting volunteers, ages 18 and over, to assist with the convention. Applicants must be able to work a minimum of two shifts on two different days, one of which must be Saturday. Volunteers will not be paid but will be able to enjoy the show before and after their shifts and receive exclusive fan merchandise. For more information, please view the Volunteers section of the website.

BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE PRESENTED BY THE PINKY COLE FOUNDATION AND THE BANDO PROJECT

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/21/21

Through August 27th

Event in Jonesboro on Saturday, July 24th

The Pinky Cole Foundation – the 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Pinky Cole, the founder and CEO of Slutty Vegan ATL and Bar Vegan – is teaming up with The Bando Project to host Back to School, a drive supplying around 400 middle and high school students in Atlanta with school supplies.

 

Through Friday August 27, the foundation will be accepting school supply donations from the public, including new book bags, headphones, folders, binders, notebooks, pencils, crayons, pens, highlighters, erasers, index cards, loose leaf paper, dividers, USB drives, lunch boxes, water bottles and masks, at the Jonesboro (164 N McDonough St) and Edgewood (476 Edgewood Ave SE) Slutty Vegan locations. $10 VIP cash donations will also be accepted through The Pinky Cole Foundation website here with proceeds donated directly to The Bando Project. 

 

On Saturday, July 24, Jonesboro Middle School (1308 Arnold Street) will serve as a pickup location for school supplies, from 2-5pm or until they run out, for any middle or high school students who come by. The event will also include a parents vs. kids football game hosted by the Clayton Trojans Youth Football Organization and activities for the whole family, like community games, slides and live music from a DJ.

The second event, including a school supply giveaway while supplies last, will be on August 29 from noon to 4pm at Slutty Vegan’s Edgewood location (476 Edgewood Ave SE). Mobil Beauty Boutique will be on-site offering complimentary back-to-school haircuts for boys and hairstyles for girls. 

 

“Since Slutty Vegan is lucky enough to have a strong following, we are using our platform to do good for our community,” says Cole. “We strongly believe that prioritizing education is a building block for eventual independence and liberation.”

 

The Pinky Cole Foundation strives to empower generations of color to win financially in life and in the pursuit of their entrepreneurial dreams while building generational wealth in the Black community. The organization’s entrepreneurship and financial literacy-focused education initiatives specifically target teens and young adults ages 13 to 22 in the U.S. 

RED’S BEER GARDEN HOSTS PAWS ATLANTA DOG ADOPTION EVENT

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/21/21

Give a Pup a New Home, Enjoy Craft Brews, Hot Dogs, Bites and Much More for a Great Cause 
 
Saturday, July 24th, 2021 From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Looking for the paw-fect weekend plan? Bring friends, family, and pups to celebrate finding four-legged friends a forever home at Red’s Beer Garden on Saturday, July 24th, 2021 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Located in Benteen Park between Grant Park and East Atlanta, the charity event will contribute 10% of all proceeds to PAWS Atlanta, a no-kill shelter that provides love, care and basic training to enrich the lives of orphaned dogs and cats until permanent, safe homes can be provided.  Guests can explore more than 300 beverages including craft beer, wine, ciders, hard seltzers and brews on tap that are handpicked by owner and beer expert Kristen Sumpter.  There are also plenty of tasty offerings, from hot dogs and sandwiches to sharable snacks.  Pups can also indulge in treats from the Four-Legged Foodie food truck. For more information, call Red’s Beer Garden at 770 637-2299 or visit redsbeergarden.com. Red’s Beer Garden is conveniently located in Benteen  Park at 1328 Boulevard SE Atlanta, GA 30315. Stay connected on Instagram @redsbeergarden and Facebook at  www.facebook.com/redsbeergarden.

ATLANTA FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL 2021

ATLANTA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL RETURNS IN ITS TRUEST FORM
CELEBRATING SOUTHERN CULINARY TRADITIONS AND

BENEFITING TWO GREAT CAUSES
Tasting Tent Tickets on Sale NOW!

The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival (AFWF) returns to Historic Fourth Ward Park this year with its beloved Tasting Tents on Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12. Honoring the rich tradition of Southern sustenance, attendees can savor the flavors of the South’s favorite chefs and mixologists as well as wine pop-up stations, a cocktail garden, live music, and an interactive food and beverage pairing area. A percent of proceeds from this year’s curated dinners, lunches and brunches supports local charities.

“We’re happy to be back, doing what we love, which is creating and executing first class events for our consumers, chefs and partners,” says Brett Friedman, Partner & CEO of Agency 21, which owns and operates Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. “This year especially, we are looking forward to showcasing creative cuisine with talented chefs from all 13 Southern states, as a tribute to returning to normalcy.”

After a pandemic pause, when the festival commenced in a virtual capacity, attendees can once again connect live and in-person in the Tasting Tents to indulge in the South’s finest flavors, featuring the up- and-coming as well as some favorite destinations and memorable brands.  New this year, the Tasting Tents will have a curated Yelp Atlanta spotlight section featuring a variety of their favorite local Atlanta spots.

In effort to curb hunger and reduce food waste in the Metro Atlanta area, AFWF will be partnering with Second Helpings Atlanta to collect fresh, surplus food from each of AFWF’s activations to donate to hunger relief agencies. In addition, AFWF will also be supporting Children of Conservation, with proceeds dedicated to the conservation of endangered species through education, habitat preservation and wildlife sanctuary.

In 2019, Agency 21 acquired the AFWF with the intention of making last year’s 10th anniversary celebration the best yet. The pandemic changed everything, but not the spirit of Southern hospitality. The AF&WF will stay true to its origins, offering a celebration of the South.

Atlanta Food & Wine Festival prides itself on having an extensive weekend of programming and events where guests can eat, drink and explore the South’s rich culinary traditions from the best talent in the Southeast. Tasting Tent tickets are now on sale with early bird pricing available until July 23. The festival’s lineup of intimate dinners, lunches and brunches taking place from September 9 through September 12 will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.atlfoodandwinefestival.com.

BUTTERFLIES AND BREWS, A PART OF ANNUAL BUTTERFLY EXPERIENCE AT DUNWOODY NATURE CENTER

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/20/21

Anticipated Annual Butterfly Experience Returns to Dunwoody
with New Adults-Only ‘Butterflies & Brews’ Component

Three-Day Festival Takes Place August 19-22 at Dunwoody Nature Center

Discover Dunwoody, the destination marketing organization (DMO) representing one of Atlanta’s most thriving suburbs rich with unique attractions and community events, today announced the return of its beloved Butterfly Experience. Taking place August 19-22 at the Dunwoody Nature Center, this year’s festivities will include several days of family-friendly fun, along with a new adults-only component, Butterflies & Brews .

“We’re thrilled to offer something different for our guests this year at the Butterfly Experience with Butterflies & Brews,” said Kimberly Franz, marketing director for Discover Dunwoody. “This annual event is well-loved by the community, so we are excited to have the opportunity to partner with a local restaurant for a brand-new event that will give guests the chance to enjoy a night out filled with delicious food and the unparalleled beauty
found at Dunwoody Nature Center.”

For families, the traditional Butterfly Experience is the perfect place to get up close and personal with butterflies at the Dunwoody Nature Center while learning about this delicate species from educators. The newly added Pollinator Pathway will lead guests station-to-station throughout the park and offer activities, crafts and educational experiences for everyone. Tickets for this local favorite will be sold in 20-minute time slots and can be purchased at DunwoodyNature.org for $10 per person, with children 3 and younger admitted for free.

On August 20 from 5-8 p.m., the new adult-only Butterflies & Brews event will include live music along with food and a bar by Porter Brew and Que. Tickets for the event are $30 each including two drink vouchers, access to a buffet complete with vegetarian options, and entry to the butterfly tent. Visitors who attend this part of the event can spend the evening exploring the wonders of nature, relaxing while listening to live music and indulging in delicious cuisine and signature brews with friends.

For more information on the Butterfly Experience, visit DiscoverDunwoody.com. For tickets to Butterflies & Brews, visit DunwoodyNature.org/Butterflies-and-Brews/.