SPOTLIGHTING CUISINE, CULTURE + COMMUNITY
ATLANTA – Centrally located in Midtown Atlanta, the seventh annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival will bring together more than 180 chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, and pit-masters from Texas to the District of Columbia June 1 – 4 at the Loews Atlanta Hotel. Through in-depth Learning Experiences, all-you-can indulge Tasting Tents, distinct Dinners and Events, and a talented Advisory Council, the four-day event provides guests with countless ways to know the South.
Refined Learning Experiences
From the fervent novice to the well-seasoned food and drink devotee, the Festival’s Learning Experiences create the opportunity to relish in specific topics like the Southern breakfast and brunch, street food culture from Southern regions around the world, and quintessentially southern ingredients like peanuts and swamp cabbage. Specific classes include Rare Breeds: Part II in which guests explore rare and limited-quantity bourbons while pairing them with equally special country hams. 82 Turns 35 schools Festival-goers on a rare selection of 1982 Premiere Cru Bordeaux wines, a year many experts regard as the greatest vintage of modern times. Learning Experiences range in size from 40 – 150 people and include technique laboratories, pairing sessions, tasting seminars, and panel discussions plus increased time between classes giving guests more opportunities to connect with talent after class.
Tailored Tasting Tents
After a successful relocation last year, Piedmont Park’s Greensward Promenade will once again provide the perfect backdrop for the Tasting Tents, which will now take place on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon. The Tasting Tents will continue to take guests on a culinary journey through the region but with added emphasis on hometown favorites, including bakeries, butcher shops, gas station cuisine, distilleries, craft brewers and other Southern purveyors. Tasting Tents will also feature Sommelier wine lounges, a cocktail garden, live music, and interactive food and beverage pairing areas.
Distinct Dinners and Events
Themed parties, intimate chef dinners, wine lunches, and Sunday brunch make up the rest of the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival weekend. Educational and delicious, the Festival’s dinners and events continue to take guests deep into the food and drink traditions of the South. Kicking off the 2017 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is a Louisiana Lunch on Friday afternoon where Festival-goers are invited to celebrate the food and beverage traditions of The Creole State ending the lunch with a traditional Louisiana-style Second Line down Peachtree Street to the Loews. Sunday Brunch will take on a new vibe and a new aesthetic this year as Festival partners, Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC) host a Designer Diner themed event. From the greasy spoon favorites to fine dining, brunch will stand out in designer-built vignettes at ADAC, highlighting the most delicious meal in America and its own flavor in the South with traditional comfort foods and international twists.
Esteemed Advisory Council
From haute cuisine to hot chicken, the highly-regarded Festival programming is curated by the Festival’s esteemed Advisory Council of 91 award-winning Southern food and beverage professionals. The illustrious group of chefs, Master Sommeliers, and barkeeps brings individualized experience from across the Southern region and a no-holds-barred attitude to sharing their craft. This combination encourages the Council to dig deeper into tried-and-true southern traditions while exploring up-and-coming innovative culinary movements.
“What makes Atlanta Food & Wine Festival unlike any other event in the country is the opportunity for attendees to learn the heritage of Southern cuisine from extraordinarily talented professionals,” said Festival Co-Founder Dominque Love. “Our passion is bringing together food enthusiasts, chefs, and beverage experts for a decadent weekend eating, drinking and celebrating the South.”
Through the ticket packages, food lovers can customize their Atlanta Food & Wine Festival experience by making it an afternoon, a day or a full weekend experience!
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 advance purchase ($100 per ticket after April 7)
Day Pass – Day Passes are ideal for curious food and beverage enthusiasts who want to eat, drink, and learn. They include access to Learning Experiences, the Festival Tasting Tents, and class intermission sips and snacks. Friday-only includes access to the Creole State of Mind lunch on Friday. Day Pass holders also receive a Festival gift bag. $150 per ticket advance purchase ($175 per ticket after April 7)
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; Creole State of Mind lunch on Friday; Learning Experiences on Friday and Saturday with class intermission sips and snacks; Tasting Tents each day; and Designer Diner Sunday Brunch at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC). Weekend Pass holders also receive a Festival gift bag. $370 per ticket advance purchase ($435 per ticket after April 7)
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; priority seating at Connoisseur Dinner Series events that are curated by Matt Lee and Ted Lee; Connoisseur Wine Lunch; Masterclasses; fast-track entrance into the Festival Tasting Tents, and a Connoisseur hospitality area in the Tents. The Connoisseur Day pass includes one dinner and the Connoisseur weekend pass includes three dinners. All Connoisseurs have access to general classes and the Festival tasting tents, and will receive a Connoisseur Gift Bag. $500 – $1,500 per ticket advance purchase ($600 – $1,800 per ticket after April 7)
Dinners & Evening 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 and Events are located throughout the city at private homes, restaurants, and unique Atlanta venues and are designed to showcase the South in unique and intimate atmospheres. $55 – $225 per person, per dinner/event
Masterclasses – For the most devoted food and beverage lover, the Festival’s Masterclasses take participants on a two-hour exploration of a specific topic. The 2017 Masterclasses include:
Rare Breeds: Part II – Friday, June 2 ($250 per ticket) – an exploration of rare and limited-quantity bourbons, paired with equally special country ham hosted by award-winning chef Sean Brock and bourbon distillers Drew Kulsveen, Willett Family Estate single barrel bourbon, and Preston Van Winkle, Old Rip Van Winkle.
82 Turns 35 – Saturday, June 3 ($850 per ticket) – a celebration of the famous 1982 Bordeaux vintage with tastings of rare selection of 1982 Premiere Cru Bordeaux wines with impeccable provenance: Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour, and Chateau Mouton Rothschild.
Raw to Real: Convergence of Food, Style & Southern Hospitality – Saturday, June 3 ($100) – a happy hour and class focused on removing distraction from a delicious meal or a beautifully set table, and focusing solely on the simple – raw – elements that go into them, from the vegetables on the plate, to the clay vessel they are served on, to the hand stitched apron you are wearing.
Tickets are on sale now. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.atlfoodandwinefestival.com.
About Atlanta Food & Wine Festival
Launched in 2010, by Atlanta entrepreneurs Dominique Love and Elizabeth Feichter, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is a four-day culinary experience dedicated to shining an international spotlight on the rich food and beverage traditions of the South from Texas to the District of Columbia. With an Advisory Council of 91 award-winning talent from 13 Southern states and the District of Columbia, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is one part conference and one part party, offering carefully-crafted programs and events to entertain and educate consumers about Southern food and drink. The Festival also celebrates the flavors of other Southern regions around the globe including Southern Europe, South Africa, South America, Southern Hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand) and South-of-the-Border for Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Caribbean. The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is a member of the IWSC Group North America’s portfolio of events. Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returns to Midtown Atlanta Thursday, June 1 – Sunday, June 4, 2017. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.atlfoodandwinefestival.com. Follow Atlanta Food & Wine Festival on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #KnowTheSouth #AFWF17
