Taste of Atlanta Dishes Out Full Festival Round-Up!

Craving an epicurean adventure?  Taste of Atlanta has the ticket!

Now in its 14^th year, Taste of Atlanta returns to Midtown at Tech Square on September 25 – 27 with the debut of digital wristbands, samplings from over 100 of the city’s most treasured eateries, five live cooking stages and over 150 varieties of beer and other spirits in the VIP Grand Tasting Experience by Hop City Craft Beer & Wine. With such an assorted lineup of offerings and activities, this weekend is set to satisfy food lovers of all appetites.

“We have so much on the event menu for this year!” said Dale DeSena, founder and president of Taste of Atlanta. “We’re very proud to be Atlanta’s first completely cashless food festival by integrating digital wristbands into the entire event experience. This new feature, paired with the caliber of restaurants and educational offerings, will create a truly phenomenal experience for everyone in attendance – from newcomers and self-proclaimed foodies to topnotch chefs and culinary experts!”

As a toast to all the food-filled festivities, Taste of Atlanta will hold an honorary kickoff party on Friday, September 25 themed Bucket List Bash. Hosted by Kristin Klingshirn of The Bert Show, this event will offer attendees an epicurean experience of a lifetime, as participating chefs whip up their own versions of bucket list-worthy recipes. During this all-inclusive block party, guests enjoy heavenly helpings from some of the city’s best restaurants, delicious drinks crafted by unmatched mixologists and lively tunes from Five Bone Rack and Blair Crimmins & the Hookers. A portion of the kickoff event proceeds will be donated toThe Giving Kitchen, an organization providing emergency assistance grants to Atlanta’s restaurant community facing unanticipated hardship. For more information about this Friday night kickoff party, please visithttp://bit.ly/1JpvMhQ.

On Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, hungry attendees can get their fill from over 100 participating restaurants hailing from both inside and outside of the perimeter. Whether it is a bite of The Big Ketch’s Mini Lobster Roll, Thirteen Pies’ Grass-fed Beef Meatballs or Max’s Wine Dive infamous Fried Chicken, festivalgoers are sure to find fare that suits their fancy. Participating restaurants will also once again be organized by neighborhood. This format takes attendees on a culinary journey through Atlanta, highlighting the city’s individual neighborhoods and the restaurants that call them home. For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit http://www.tasteofatlanta.com/restaurants.php.

2015 festival highlights include:

·         Digital Wristband Technology – Byte into this delicious debut! Taste of Atlanta has teamed up with Intellitix (the leading provider of RFID technologies for live events) and One Ring Networks (the preferred fixed-wireless Internet service provider in the Atlanta market) to be the first Atlanta food and drink festival to fully integrate RFID-enabled wristband technology into the entire event experience. The festival will feature RFID access control and cashless payment systems, making it easier and faster for attendees to enter and indulge in the festival—all with just the tap of a wristband! For more information about these wristbands, please visit http://bit.ly/1NU8un5.

·         Taste Points – All ticket packages include a wristband, pre-loaded with 10 “Taste Points,” the official digital dining currency at Taste of Atlanta, which is used to pay for bites, brews and other merchandise at the festival. Patrons can “Top-Up” their wristbands with Taste Point credits by registering them online in advance at tasteofatlanta.com, on-site on a smartphone or at “Taste Point Banks” located throughout the festival.

·         The Chef’s Table – Hosted by Atlanta Broadcast Personality Tom Sullivan, The Chef’s Table provides festival goers the opportunity to gain valuable insight from Atlanta’s acclaimed culinary icons in an intimate setting. Chefs will dish on their personal journeys and offer expert cooking tips and techniques to the crowd during 30-to 45-minute sessions. For the full session line-up, visit http://bit.ly/1L6x0RA.

·         The Kitchen Workshop - Hosted by CNN’s Emmy Nominated Journalist Holly Firfer, The Kitchen Workshop, presented by The Cook’s Warehouse, features step-by-step cooking tutorials for both skilled home cooks and those still learning to boil water. Classes are approximately 45-minutes long, and every participant leaves with a recipe they can make at home and a feather in their toque! For the full session line-up, visit http://bit.ly/1L6x8Aw.

·         Carnival’s Kids Corner – Presented by Carnival Cruise Lines, Carnival’s Kids Corner features locally and nationally-celebrated chefs of all ages to stir up some family-friendly fun! Festival goers will enjoy engaging, 30-to 45-minute segments that highlight simple, healthy meals sure to become family favorites! For the full session line-up, visit http://bit.ly/1VaXiBB

·         EAT GA Stage – Brand new this year! The EAT GA stage will celebrate Georgia’s bounty and explore locally grown goodies during 30-40 minute seminars. For the full session line-up, visithttp://bit.ly/1iwXTB4.

·         Big Green Egg Grilling Experience – Hosted by Kevin Jenkins and Executive Chef Erik Holdo of “Chef and the Fatman,” this smokin’ stage features the ultimate cookout demonstrations to get grill masters fired up! Festival goers will walk away with the hottest recipes, as they watch top chefs cook up their specialties during 30-to 45-minute sessions on these recognizable ceramic grills. For the full session line-up, visit http://bit.ly/1MJqdxs

·         #foodporn Photo Patrol – New this year in The Kitchen Workshop, festivalgoers can receive expert tips and tricks for taking a truly decadent, drool-worthy photo of their food. The photo patrol, which is made up of skilled photographers and influential food bloggers, will be on-hand during each seminar to offer valuable insight for capturing that perfect photo of any delicious
dish.

·         The Coca-Cola Lounge – For a refreshing sip of bubbly flavor from Atlanta’s own, stop by the Coca-Cola Lounge located in the 5^th and Spring Street parking lot.

·         Barcraft Competition presented by Fernet-Branca – Bottoms up! Top bartenders from the United States Bartenders Guild will compete for the title of Taste of Atlanta's Best Bartender. Patrons with a thirst for spirited rivalries can get their fill as they take a taste and cheer on their favorite concoctions. For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/1LOopgG.

·         VIP Grand Tasting Experience – VIP ticket holders ages 21 and up will receive exclusive access to the VIP Grand Tasting Experience including complimentary tastes from restaurants and sponsors not found in the main festival. The Taste of Atlanta VIP Grand Tasting Experience by Hop City Craft Beer & Wine has graduated to the largest craft beer, wine and cocktail tasting within Atlanta’s premier food festival, with over 150 varieties of beer and 40 wines to sip and sample. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1E6ym6p.

·         Silent Auction – The festival is proud to support Share our Strength's Cooking Matters™ as the beneficiary of the Silent Auction, which will be filled with unique merchandise and exclusive offers on entertainment and travel packages. Cooking Matters is a groundbreaking program that provides a strong foundation in nutrition, cooking and household budgeting through specialized courses. One hundred percent of the silent auction net proceeds will be donated to this special program. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1gOuAJ9.

Taste of Atlanta ticket information:

·         Friday Night Kickoff Party: SOLD OUT!

·         Festival General Admission: $25 in advance, $35 at event

Includes 10 Taste Points; additional taste points are $1 each

·         Festival VIP tickets: $75 in advance, $85 at event

Includes 10 taste points, souvenir tasting glass, exclusive access to the VIP Grand Tasting Experience

Festival Hours:

·         Friday, September 25 – Friday Night Kickoff Party: Bucket List Bash

7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

VIP Entry begins at 6:30 p.m.

·         Saturday, September 26 – Festival

12 p.m. – 7 p.m.

VIP Grand Tasting Experience is open from 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

·         Sunday, September 27 – Festival

12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

VIP Grand Tasting Experience is open from 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.