Tickets Now On Sale For Taste Of Atlanta

ATLANTA — Tickets are now on sale for the 18th annual Taste of Atlanta, the city's award-winning food, craft beer, wine and spirits festival showcasing the local restaurant scene. The event will take place from Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20, 2019. Held at Historic Fourth Ward Park, the annual festival will feature more than 100 restaurants as well as on-stage cooking demos, cooking classes and new this year, Food Districts, a more expansive VIP Experience and a Saturday night concert. Bringing together food lovers and chefs from neighborhoods across Atlanta, the event welcomes attendees of all ages and offers something for everyone.

Here's a look at this year's event:

• Opening night party (October 18). Kicking off on Friday with the opening night party hosted by Chef Nick Leahy of Aix and Tin Tin, the evening will bring together a roster of local chefs who focus on sourcing ingredients locally and cooking seasonally. From 7:30-11 pm, participating restaurants, including Kimball House, Tiny Lous, Bellina Alimentari, KR Steakbar, Double Zero and dozens more, will serve tastings alongside wine, beer and cocktails. Plus, the celebration will feature live music from Moontower and a portion of the evening's proceeds will support Georgia Grown's restaurant partnership program.

• Main tasting events (October 19 & 20). Bringing together chefs from neighborhoods across Atlanta, Taste of Atlanta will serve as a destination to try bites from over 100 restaurants all in one place. Plus, this year's festival will feature food districts, including tailgating, Buford Highway, The Battery, Sunday brunch and more.

• Cooking Classes & Demos. Sponsored by PeachDish, The Cook's Warehouse and Sprouts, Kitchen Workshop offers free, hands-on cooking classes for home cooks led by Atlanta chefs. Festival attendees will learn to cook a variety of cuisines, from Southern to Italian to vegan. Attendees will also get an inside view into the Atlanta culinary world at Chef's Table and Home Plate Stages, where chefs will demonstrate how to prepare mouthwatering dishes and provide tastings of their creations.

• Saturday night concert (October 19). For the first time, Taste of Atlanta will continue into the evening on Saturday of festival weekend with a concert from 7-11pm. While the band remains a surprise until later this summer, attendees can expect sing-along, light rock hits from a favorite local band. Guests will be able to bring their own chairs and blankets to enjoy tunes on the lawn, and local food trucks will be selling bites for purchase alongside drinks.

Prior to the event, ticket holders will receive wristbands equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, making Taste of Atlanta a cashless festival. The wristbands are pre-loaded with Taste Points which can be used for drink and merchandise purchases as well as food tastings ranging from one to three points each. General admission ticket holders will receive 10 Taste Points, and additional points can be purchased for $1 each online or at Taste Point Banks located throughout the festival.

Taste of Atlanta

Wristbands track tastes sampled and provide attendees with a post-event tasting list, serving as a customized roundup of restaurant recommendations for future dining out. VIP Experience provides access to an all-inclusive festival area with tastings from around a dozen select restaurants and pours from craft beer, wine and cocktail makers. VIP ticket holders can access the General Admission area of the festival and will also receive a post-event tasting list from restaurants enjoyed in all areas of the festival.

Oprah Magazine has named Taste of Atlanta as the "Top Food Festival Worth the Trip," and Taste of Atlanta has won Creative Loafing's "Best Food Festival or Event" for six years running. This year's sponsors include PeachDish, The Cook's Warehouse, Sprouts, Georgia Peanut Commission and more.