On a fine weekend in May, Atlantans made their way to Midtown to get a good ole’ Southern helpin’ of the region’s unique eats and beverages. Celebrating its 5th year serving up sweet sips and savory bites, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival treated thousands of culinary connoisseurs, foodie fanatics, and wine lovers to a weekend of indulgence and education. Events featured every food lover and wine enthusiast’s ultimate dream: endless amounts of both! The “tasting trails,” as AFWF dubs them, offered curated selections of the best beverage and food pairings hailing straight from the South.
Thursday kicked off the weekend with the highly anticipated PIG OUT at the Ponce City Market. Good beats, great eats and an infectious energy, the Pig Out successfully set up a fantastic weekend of fun, food and drinks!
*Photo Credit: Raftermen Photography
On Friday, the Big Bad Pop-Up Dinner Series featured a finger-lickin’ feast of fast-service street food and yummy cocktails. Created three years ago by Chef John Currency, this high-energy, traveling series made a stop in Atlanta to join forces with Chef Shaun Doty and Bantam + Biddy. Hearts left just as full as bellies because proceeds from Big Bad Pop-Ups benefit The Giving Kitchen and The Piedmont School of Atlanta. Talk about a win-win!
*Photo Credit: Raftermen Photography
Saturday sizzled with Rathbuns’ Watch List, where Chefs Kent and Kevin Rathbun hosted a knock-out Southern culinary and cocktail experience to introduce and ignite enthusiasm for the South’s cuisine. The Rathbuns teamed up with Atlantic Decorative Arts Center, allowing guests to delight in delicious and design-fueled evening that will resonate for meals to come.
*Photo Credit: Raftermen Photography
For those looking to leave with a little enlightenment, the festival weekend also hosted almost 100 Learning Experiences, including cocktail and cooking demonstrations, food and wine tasting sessions and panel discussions. But there was solace for the seasoned sipper, too. Connoisseur dinners were the ultimate destination for those looking to top up their taste palettes.
One thing is for sure: the 5th Annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival had both foodies and newbies begging for seconds. Well, there’s always next year!
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