I love all the neighborhood festivals, but for some reason I can’t miss the Inman Park Fest each year. It’s on my list of must attend events and I always leave with a smile on my face.
Details: Fri-Sun 4/26-28. FREE! Tour of Homes tix: $20.
This annual festival and neighborhood has a rich history - the land it sits on was the site of the Battle of Atlanta during the Civil War. After the smoke had cleared, it became Atlanta’s first planned neighborhood and saw many ups and downs since the 1880s. Today it’s one of Atlanta’s most vibrant communities with gorgeous houses, tree-lined streets and local stores and restaurants.
The festival itself features over 150 artists, live music on Sat/Sun on multiple stages, food and drinks, 5k race and 1 mile run for all ages, kids zone and a Tour of Homes. Also a must-do is the Parade that is happening on Sat at 2pm - rain or shine! If you’re not grinning ear-to-ear after watching this colorful campaign make it’s way across Inman Park, I’ll be shocked.
The spirit of community is alive and thriving in Inman Park. Come to the area and join in the fun!
I’m really excited to be participating again in this year’s Atlanta Bake Sale, which benefits Share Our Strength! Whether you are a baker who is contributing goods to sell or you just love eating decadent desserts, this is an event not to be missed!!!
Date/Time: Saturday, May 4th 9am -1pm (or until we are out of treats!)
Location: The Cooks Warehouse - Ansley Mall
Reprising her role as our fearless leader is well-known ATL food blogger Tami from Running With Tweezers! We’ve been one of the top earning bake sales in the country the last couple years and want to keep it going! This year Duncan Hines will be donating $10,000 to add to the total of the bake sale that raises the most money and our eye is on the prize!
Some of the best bakers, food bloggers and food enthusiasts (like me!) in Atlanta will be on hand to sell delicious treats that go toward an amazing cause - ending childhood hunger!
Be sure not to miss the delectable desserts from the lovely Christina of Mele Cotte! Definitely one of the best bakers out there, her blog has tons of great recipes for any occasion.
IF you can’t make to the event on Sat 5/4, please consider making a donation on our ATL Team/Fundraising page! $1 can provide a child with 10 healthy meals, so please support this great cause!!
So come on out and buy some of the best baked goods in Atlanta and support an amazing cause to end childhood hunger.
Another fantastic neighborhood festival is happening the weekend of 4/27 - Smyrna’s Spring Jonquil Festival! This free festival actually takes place twice a year, in the spring and fall in the Smyrna Village Green.
What is a Jonquil? It’s a flower that looks a lot like a daffodil and being a local favorite, Smyrna also calls itself ‘Jonquil City’. The 2-day festival features 175+ arts and crafts booths, food court, live music, puppets shows by Peter Hart, a book sale benefiting the Smyrna Public Library (great place to get cheap paperbacks for summer reading), and a huge area of kids activities.
The Jonquil Jog 5K Run/Walk takes place on Saturday 4/27 at 8am and Registration is free for tots 5 and under and up to $25 for timed racers/$20 for untimed adult racers.
While you’re at the fest, you can also wander over to the Marketplace where the Smyrna location of Atkins Park is hosting their 11th Annual Crawfish Festival! Starting at 1pm on Sat 4/27 - enjoy live music, a corn hole tournament, lots of Abita beer, and great Cajun food all day long! $5+ admission, which benefits Team in Training.
So head OTP and enjoy a fun local festival in the heart of Jonquil City!
One mother of an annual fried chicken event - Mother Clucker at Rosebud is set for April 13th!
Details: Sat 4/13 2-5pm at Rosebud. $35+.
Hosted by ‘The Angry Chef’ Ron Eyester, this event is a true southern experience, with live music, SweetWater beer, High Road Craft Ice Cream, and of course a ton of fried chicken prepared by top chefs in Atlanta!
Some big names are in it to win it this year, check out this impressive list:
Ron Eyester, Rosebud, The Family Dog
Justin & Jonathan Fox, Fox Bros BBQ, Big Tex Decatur
Jordan Wakefield, Meehan’s Public House
Matt Swickerath, Valenza
Stephen Herman, Haven
Jason Alley, Comfort & Pasture (VA)
Eddie Hernandez, Taqueria del Sol
Josh Hopkins, White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails
Scott Weaver, Chick-a-biddy
Justin Keith, Food 101
Alex Friedman, P’cheen
So come on out for a fun day of great food and fun and see who takes the prizes as the true fried chicken champ of Atlanta!
Photo Credit – James Camp Photography
The good folks at SweetWater Brewing will be hosting their annual 420 Fest in Candler Park this April.
This multi-day earth celebration blends entertainment with environmental awareness, bringing together an exciting line-up of talented live musical/comedy performers, craft beer, art, cuisine and engaging, earth-friendly activities that the entire family is sure to love.
Details: Fri-Sun 4/19-21. FREE! $5 for beer wristband, VIP $120+ (first year!). A portion of the wristband sales benefits Park Pride (Candler Park).
A really fun event for all - attendees can participate in a 5K Walk/Run, get a good laugh from the Relapse 420 Comedy Tent, compete in the Gas South Cornhole tournament or watch live craft beer demonstrations. For the kids, the Kids Zone features Circus Camp, musical instrument petting zoo, Moon Jumps inflatables and more.
So celebrate Earth Day in a very Atlanta way with SweetWater Brew!
The south is home to some of the best chefs in the culinary industry and now in it’s third year, the 2013 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival once again allows our city and region to shine!
Details: May 30-June 2 in Midtown Atlanta. $100+.
The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is the first culinary weekend in the U.S. to focus exclusively on showcasing the food and beverage traditions of the South. It’s about more than just fried chicken and BBQ, but if that’s what you love - there will be some of that too!
The weekend offers three distinct activities: Learning Experiences, Tasting Experiences, and Dinners & Events. The Learning Experiences include smart and entertaining cooking and cocktail demonstrations, tasting seminars and panel discussions all designed by industry. The daily learning sessions are rounded off with the Festival’s delicious Tasting Tents. Unlike any other Festival tasting tents, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festivals are curated by chefs and feature a variety of tasting trails including; Chicken, Pig, Lamb, Seafood, Farm Fresh, Southern Snacks, Sweets & Sandwiches and Southern Wines & Spirits. The food trails are complimented by wine and spirits from other “Southern” regions around the globe like Southern Europe, South Africa and South America. Each day is followed by evening dinners and events that extend the Festival’s learning and tasting programs.
Be on the lookout for some great local ATL faves like Duane Nutter, Kevin Gillespie, Kristen Hard, Kevin Rathbun, Asha Gomez, Linton Hopkins, Shaun Doty, and Ford Fry. Also our cool neighbors - Sean Brock, Frank & Matt Lee, Mike Lata, John Besh, Frank Stitt, Kelly English, and Julian Van Winkle.
So get your tickets today for what will be one of the ultimate foodie events of the year!
A new lunch/brunch/dinner option from the team behind Gilbert’s and HOBNOB, 10th & Piedmont is a great place to dine in town. Lots of tapas options and a great drink list - all conveniently located in the heart of Midtown Atlanta.
I enjoyed the ‘Southern Lady’ libation and while the decor is extremely modern, it didn’t make me uncomfortable at all like most places with trendy styled tables and chairs that focus more on form than function. Definitely warm and modern at the same time.
The menu takes dishes from around the world and gives them a southern spin. Some great tapas/starters were the Boiled Peanut Hummus, the Goat Cheese Crispies and the Chicken and Waffles - like you’ve never had them before! The Chicken and Waffles is actually deep fried on a stick with sorghum, powdered sugar and hot sauce for dipping. Why hasn’t anyone else thought of this?
They also have full entree style dishes as well, will need to check those out next time, but enjoyed sharing entree dishes with a friend at Gilbert’s - Almond Crusted Talapia with Parmesan Risotto and the Seafood Paella for 1 (could easily be for 2), with fresh mussels, squid and shrimp. Really authentic and delicious.
Indulged in the chocolate souffle at the end, really good. Prices are extremely reasonable for midtown, encourages ordering more dishes! Owner Gilbert Yeremian says that his team believes in delicious food for a reasonable price and building community around their restaurants. Gilbert’s is celebrating it’s 12th year in Atlanta!
Parking is on the street or in the lot next to the restaurant, which is valet and validated by the resto. There is a fun ‘catwalk’ to Gilbert’s if you want to keep the party going with after dinner drinks. During the week they have trivia nights and recently hosted an Oscars viewing party.
So give 10th & Piedmont a look! Great for after work drinks, dinner and more.
Love comedy? You won’t want to miss this upcoming event being hosted in the heart of Midtown Atlanta - the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival!
Details: 3/27-31. Laughing Skull Lounge & 5 other locations. $15+.
This annual festival attracts more than 4,000 attendees and will feature some of the funniest up-and-coming comedians in the business, top industry judges, and variety of festival events for registrants including late night parties, a poker tournament, and a Civil War kickball game.
The five-day festival features 72 comics from around the world competing against one another for cash, prizes, notoriety, and, of course, bragging rights.
Shows are already starting to sell out, so be sure to get your tickets asap for nights filled with laughs and fun. Great for dates or nights out with friends - everyone loves a good laugh!
Atlanta is about a southern as you can get and one thing we know and appreciate more than anything is beer, bourbon and BBQ! These three awesome delights converge at the annual Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Fest happening this Sat.
Details: Sat 3/2 2-6pm at Atlantic Station. $35+. VIP tix get in at noon.
More than 60 beers, 40 bourbons and more bbq than you can eat in a lifetime will be presented this Saturday at Atlantic Station. in addition to the epic food and drink, attendees can enjoy live music performances, the Best Beer Belly competition, and a Tasting Theatre.
So come out and enjoy an afternoon of indulgence, some of the best tastes the south has to offer!
Check out this new Broadway musical coming to The Fox Theatre in March - Million Dollar Quartet! The show is based of the true lives of legendary performers Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and the King himself - Elvis Presley.
Details: 3/12-17 at the Fox Theatre. $30+.
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical inspired by the true story of four rock ‘n’ roll icons, is making its premiere in Atlanta! On December 4, 1956 an auspicious twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley together. Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll” who was responsible for launching the careers of each icon, brought the four legendary musicians together at the Sun Records storefront studio in Memphis for the first and only time. The resulting evening became known as one the greatest rock ‘n’ roll jam sessions in history.