Best Food Festivals to Know Around Atlanta This Fall

With the weather giving Atlanta a much-needed break from the scorching heat, Fall is a great time to get out there and enjoy some outdoorsy fun and food. Here are some of the food festivals worth putting on your radar this season.

Alpharetta Restaurant Week, October 20 to 26

More than 50 restaurants are gearing up to participate in Alpharetta Restaurant Week beginning on October 20. During this week, the neighborhood’s restaurants will serve a special multi-course dinner menu for around $25 to $50, and a cheaper lunch menu for $20 to $35. Restaurants include Delbar, Fogon and Lions, Foundation Social Eatery, and Oak Steakhouse, among many others.

Diwali Mela at Chai Pani, November 1

Chai Pani in Decatur will celebrate Diwali with all of the festivities, including a pani puri station, free henna, fireworks, glowsticks, sparklers, and complimentary Diwali treats, on November 1 from 5 to 10 p.m. The event is free to attend and the regular Chai Pani menu will be available for dinner. The restaurant will also do a special raffle to raise money for relief efforts in Western North Carolina.

Chai Pani

North Highland Restaurant Week, November 10 to 15

Some of the best restaurants in North Highland will offer special menus in the $5, $10, and $20 price points during the neighborhood’s restaurant week beginning November 10. Restaurants include Ela, Whiskey Bird, Doc Chey’s Noodle House, La Tavola, and more.

Sommlympics Wine Competition, December 8

Ever wanted to watch a sommelier blind taste a wine live? The second annual Atlanta Sommlympics Wine Competition on December 8 is a front-row seat to exactly that. Put on at The Oenophile Institute in Smyrna, certified sommeliers from around the country will gather to compete in multiple rounds of blind tastings, theory, and service. Eater Atlanta’s editor Henna Bakshi is one of the judges. As an attendee, you can watch multiple rounds of the competition unfold, enjoy tastings of fine wines the contestants are given, and learn valuable wine skills from the challenges presented. Tickets range from $45 to $110 all-day passes, and are on sale now.

Past Fall events to put on your radar for next year:

Oye Fest at Historic Fourth Ward Park, October 6

Atlanta’s biggest Latin music, art, and food festival, Oye Fest, is happening at Historic Fourth Ward Park on October 6. The food and beverage vendors will all serve Latin fare, including Venezuelan, Mexican, and Colombian. Eater Atlanta contributor Allison Ramirez reports Mrs. Rosa Latin Food, Vice Taco Truck, Fidela’s Street Kitchen, Las delicias de La Abuela, and Chispas Mobile Snack Cart, among others, will be some of the food offerings. Tickets begin at $55 and are on sale now.

Taste of Brookhaven, October 10

The Taste of Brookhaven is back at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina on October 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. The festival will showcase the neighborhood’s best chefs and restaurants, along with a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. Tickets are $65 a person, and all proceeds from the evening will benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Whiskies of the World, October 12

More than 150 whiskies from around the world will be available for sampling at the national Whiskies of the World event at InterContinental Buckhead. The extensive pour list includes single malts, bourbons, Scotch, Japanese whiskies, tequila, and more, anywhere from Kentucky, India, Israel, to Scotland. General admission tickets begin at $125 and VIP tickets are $175.

Grand Tasting Midtown, October 17

A lineup of Midtown restaurants will serve at Grand tasting Midtown at the Epicurean Hotel on October 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. Restaurants include Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Tiny Lou’s, Nine Mile Station, Yalda, and Your 3rd Spot, among others. Tickets begin at $95 and include unlimited food and beverage tastings, cooking demos, and live entertainment.

Festival of Lights Diwali Mela, October 19

Monica Sunny of local tea brand, The Chai Box, is putting on her second annual Diwali Mela on October 19, from 5 to 9 p.m. in Marietta. The event will bring together 15 small women-owned and BIPOC businesses. Expect Diwali food (from Dhaba BBQ, Milla’s Macaron, Humble Origin Superfoods, and more), music, henna, and shopping from local vendors, including clothing, jewelry, candles, chocolates, chai, and other gifts.