Gather ‘round festival, an upscale-meets-down home food and cocktail experience, is soon to be this Two-Sided Southerner‘s favorite annual event. On October 14-17, 2021, this culinary experience pairs with arts and music at Epicurean Atlanta. Epicurean Atlanta is a brand new hotel in Midtown Atlanta that is food-focused and dedicated to culinary experiences.
I can’t think of anything better than indulging in four days of gourmet delights, sipping on craft cocktails (or the best wines!) while listening to music and seeing cool art. Moreover, there will be 70+ talented artists, chefs and beverage experts on hand to celebrate the South and all its glory.
“The event is a celebration of Southern food, drink, music and art. We’ve asked talent what drives them, what inspires them and how they respond to the natural interaction of these things,” says Elizabeth Feichter, Partner with Southern Culinary & Creative, who is putting on the event. “We wanted to create something that celebrates that relationship and the people who are at the heart of it.” More with Feichter later.
My stomach is growling because I’ve been ogling the lineup for days. Some of my favorite can’t-miss events on the Gather ’round festival schedule are:
Thurs. Oct. 14, 5:30 – 7:30pm: Masterclass Scottish Influences on a Southern Menu ($75)
Fri. Oct 15, 7:30 – 10:30pm: Natty Wines for Newbies (and Enthusiasts) ($75)
Fri. Oct. 15. 6:30 – 8:30pm: Tomorrow’s Table, which is a walk-around event with 30 stations ($100)
Sat. Oct. 16, 7 – 10pm: SIP: Classic Southern Cocktails & Soundtracks ($100)
Sun., Oct. 17, 11:30am – 3:30pm : Southern Punch Brunch on Sunday. ($45) The sit-down meal is sold out, but the rooftop revelry portion is still open.
To me, that last one is the ideal way to end this extravagant weekend of culinary delights.
There are so many more intriguing experiences and events than my faves above over the four-day festival. For instance, you may be into the “Buford Highway: Send Noods (and dumplings!)” ($75) sesh or “COLLAB Dinner Series: Fox Bros. Westside – South X Southeast Asia” ($140) event. In total there are four signature events, seven master classes and eight collaborative dinners from Thursday through Sunday.
Most importantly, the entire event benefits Giving Kitchen and Hambidge Creative Arts Center. Giving Kitchen helps food service workers and the hospitality industry, who both need us all so bad right now. Hambidge is a 600-acre sanctuary in Rabun County, Ga. that empowers individuals to develop, explore, and express their creative voices.
Overall, the Gather ’round festival is truly about celebrating Southern chefs, artisans and makers of the new South. Feichter was kind enough to answer 10 quick questions for us on behalf of Southern Culinary & Creative about the event.
- Firstly, love the name for this event. Even though that’s not really a question.
When we thought about what it meant to “gather ’round” with our favorite people, to share a meal, a drink, an unforgettable weekend, it was with these people. Getting a chance to do that is such a beautiful venue is the icing on the cake. - Very cool that you’re partnering with Epicurean Atlanta, a food-centric hotel. How did you two find each other?
We think so too! We found each other because their team had a desire to create some really engaging experiences as they were planning for the opening of the Epicurean Atlanta. After a quick love affair, we came on board and together we envisioned what Gather ’round could be for the Atlanta community. It presents a perfect launch pad for the hotel to introduce itself to food and beverage lovers across the Southeast.
- What is going to make this experience so unique?
The care that is being put into every moment of the weekend. We have a knock-out roster of remarkable culinary superstars. We we stand in awe of what they’ve been through over the past 18 months and what incredible passion and talent they bring to the table. - What is a wow or two that people shouldn’t miss?
All of it. It’s time to get back out there and enjoy things like this, and there’s no better weekend to do it. Don’t miss a minute. From curated masterclasses to all-inclusive walk-around tasting events and intimate dinners; and poetry on demand and meticulously crafted soundtracks, guests will take a trip down Buford Highway and a journey across the pond with a man in a kilt. From a blind-folded dinner to a delicious barbecue mash up, the lineup of our talent will blow your mind. - What’s the most inexpensive and the highest dollar experience this weekend?
We’re proud of the creation of opportunities to enjoy the weekend at a variety of levels. From our Rooftop Revelry event following Punch Brunch at just $45 to a series of reasonable Masterclasses at $75 to our most extravagant collaborator dinners at $175, there’s something for everyone. - Is Gather ‘round for serious foodies or would a corn-dog lover still appreciate it?
It’s for everyone from our Ph-D level food lovers to those with more simple palates. Yes, there’s a lot of pretty amazing talent doing some really creative things but I think everyone will find something to enjoy at our events. When it’s made with passion, people can’t help but find something to fall in love with. Even if we pull you outside of your comfort zone a little, at the end of the day if your belly is full and your heart happy, wasn’t it worth it? - Am I crazy or do you have some heavy hitters on the beverage side of things?
Full stop. We do. And we’re proud of it. We’re cocktail people. And beer people. And wine people. We’re up for a party. - I have to ask, why a live event now? While so many others have cancelled or scaled back?
Fair question. When is the right time? Like so many people in our industry, we felt the incredible blow of COVID-19 and the realization that so many things you had worked so hard for were being stolen out from under you. The thing that blows our hair back is creating awe-inspiring experiences. Not being able to do that for so long and watching so many people in the hospitality industry suffer as they lost their restaurants, their bars, their farms, their livelihoods, felt crushing. We made the decision, at what we felt was the right time, to be a part of the solution to bringing things back safely. - What are you doing in terms of safety?
From day one, we’ve planned Gather ’round to be at limited capacities with strict COVID-19 protocols. Live music events have come back successfully in this way. We’ve taken every precaution we possibly can and bringing people back together is the right thing to do. Especially in support of our friends at the Giving Kitchen who have been on the frontlines of supporting our industry and helping so many get back on their feet. - The art and music part of it… that feels new. You don’t see that much at food events, right?
We love art and music. It’s pretty much that simple. What is good food and drink without good music and beautiful, inspirational things to look at, experience and interact with? We have a dedication to creating immersive experiences and we love that we can do that by supporting and engaging organizations like Hambidge Creative Arts Center, who has curated our art and performances throughout the weekend.
True upscale foodies who have been itching to get out of their own kitchens should snag the Founder’s Club Pass for all weekend at the Gather ’round festival. It is $500 ($900 value) through Oct. 14. If you go whole hog on that one, then it combines all masterclasses in the Epicurean Atlanta’s Culinary Theatre with food, drink, music, and art experiences for one price.
For individual event tickets and the full lineup visit gatherroundatl.com.
