Festival Returns With New Thematic Structure The Atlanta Food &

Wine Festival returns September 10–13 for its 16th year with a restructured format centered on the theme "The City is the Story." The four-day event at The Home Depot Backyard will feature over 150 chefs, artisans, and beverage professionals exploring different dimensions of Atlanta's food scene through walk-around tasting experiences.

Four Thematic Days Define the Festival Each day carries a

distinct focus: Thursday, September 10: The Atlanta Standard highlights the city's restaurant community and cultural icons. VIP tickets (6:30–10 p.m.) start at $99; general admission (7:30–10 p.m.) begins at $99. Friday, September 11: Flavors of Atlanta showcases international influences across Latin, Asian, and Caribbean cuisines, running VIP 6:30–10 p.m. and general admission 7:30–10 p.m., starting at $109. Saturday, September 12 features two events: The Southern Spread (12 p.m.–3:30 p.m., starting at $109) celebrates Southern traditions with locally sourced ingredients, and Stacked: The Burger Social (7:15 p.m.–9:30 p.m., starting at $89) presents chef-driven burger creations. Sunday, September 13 closes the festival with The Homecoming (12 p.m.–3:30 p.m., starting at $99), emphasizing cookout culture and communal dining. Two additional events run that evening: Southern Fried: A Fried Chicken Affair (5:15 p.m.–7:30 p.m., starting at $89) and Whiskey & Fire Atlanta at Guardian Works (5:45 p.m.–8:30 p.m., starting at $99).

Industry Scale and Sustainability Focus Since its founding in 2010,

the festival has grown into one of the South's major culinary events. This year, Goya Foods returns as presenter of the main tasting tents, while Invesco QQQ continues as the festival's presenting sponsor. The festival also partners with Event Zero Foundation, a nonprofit focused on sustainable event practices, to reduce environmental impact. Brett Friedman, founder and CEO of a21 (the event's producer), stated: "AFWF is consistently the finest culinary event in the South, and we are proud to showcase the burgeoning culinary talent from throughout the region." Multi-day passes are available. All guests must be 21 or older. Additional programming and chef participants will be announced throughout summer.

Why It Matters For restaurateurs and hospitality operators, the festival

signals Atlanta's continued positioning as a culinary destination and represents a significant networking and visibility opportunity. The restructured format—organized around neighborhood identity and food traditions rather than generic wine-and-chef pairings—reflects broader industry movement toward place-based dining narratives and local sourcing.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors