FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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GENERAL

WHAT IS THE ATLANTA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL (AFWF)?
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Since the festival’s inception in 2011, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival presented by Invesco QQQ has raised a toast to the incomparable food, wine, beer and spirits of the South.

Tasting Tents presented by Goya Foods:
Come eat, drink, and indulge at our signature event! Tantalize your taste buds as you navigate through the diverse culinary and beverage offerings prepared by 60+ top chefs, mixologists and culinary personalities from Atlanta’s backyard to all of Georgia’s surrounding southern neighbors and beyond.
Same Festival. Brand New Location. For the first time ever, our Signature Tasting Tents are now at The Home Depot Backyard!

Intimate Dinners: Hosted throughout various restaurants across Atlanta, guests can enjoy specially curated menus by some of the most prolific chefs putting the South on the world's culinary map. Each all-inclusive experience will feature beverage pairings including beer, wine, champagne, and/or cocktails.

WHAT ARE THE DATES OF AFWF 2025?
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The 2025 festival dates are Thursday, September 11 – Sunday, September 14. Please defer to the specific event pages for venue location information.

Same Festival. Brand New Location. For the first time ever, our Signature Tasting Tents are now at The Home Depot Backyard!

WHERE ARE AFWF EVENTS LOCATED?
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AFWF’s events are held in various locations throughout the greater Atlanta area. The festival’s signature Tasting Tents presented by Goya Foods will take place at The Home Depot Backyard. Please defer to event specific pages for venue details on AFWF’s gourmet gatherings and brunches.

DOES THE FESTIVAL BENEFIT ANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS?
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We’re proud to partner with Event Zero Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering positive environmental and social impact within the events industry. Committed to driving change, we believe that every event, regardless of size, can be a powerful force for good. Our mission is to inspire and guide event organizers, businesses, and communities to implement sustainable practices that reduce environmental footprints and promote social responsibility. Together, we are shaping a future where events are not only celebratory but also contribute to a more sustainable and resilient world.

ARE ALL AFWF EVENTS 21+?
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Yes, all AFWF events are 21 and older. A Valid ID is required for admission at all festival events. If event security cannot verify your age, you will not be admitted into the event. Anyone under the age of 21 will be refused entry and tickets will not be refunded.

CAN I BRING MY CHILD?
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All AFWF events are 21 and older. No children or infants (even in strollers or carriers) are allowed to attend any festival event.

ARE PETS ALLOWED AT ANY AFWF EVENTS?
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While we love your furry friends, no pets are allowed at any AFWF event. This includes emotional support animals, therapy animals or companion animals. ONLY service animals are permitted.

The Home Depot Backyard welcomes certified, leashed service animals in accordance with the ADA title II and III Law. If you need assistance in advance of an event, please call (470) 341-5000 and choose Option #3 to speak with their Guest Services team.

Please note, comfort animals, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs are not considered service animals under Title II andTitle III of the ADA. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not considered service animals. A doctor’s letter does not turn an animal into a service animal and unfortunately animals identified under these categories will be denied access to the venue.

Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. All service animals must remain by the handler’s side at all times and must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.

Anyone bringing a service animal WILL be responsible for and liable for any damage or injury the animal causes. For more information, please refer to the U.S. Department of Justice.

WHAT IF I HAVE SPECIAL DIETARY NEEDS?
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If you are attending an in-restaurant brunch or intimate dinner and have food allergies or dietary restrictions, you will be able to list them out during the ticket purchasing process. The chefs at these events will do their best to accommodate special dietary needs, but we emphasize this is only a request.

All requests must be received two weeks prior to the festival. While chefs provide a variety of food offerings at our events, all larger tasting events are not able to accommodate special dietary needs or food allergies.

IS THERE A DRESS CODE FOR THE EVENT?
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There is no enforced dress code; however, we recommend checking the local weather and dressing appropriately as some of our events may be outdoors.

TICKETS AND EVENTS

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE TICKET PRICE FOR AFWF EVENTS?
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Everything you need for a good time! Festival tickets are all-inclusive. Once you have purchased your tickets, there are no additional charges for food, drinks, or gratuity at any AFWF event.

WHEN WILL AFWF TICKETS GO ON SALE?  
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Our Exclusive PreSale for Tasting Tents presented by Goya Foods begins Thursday, May 23, 2024. Limited quantities are available.

HOW DO I RECEIVE MY TICKETS?
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Upon purchase of a ticket(s), the purchaser will receive a confirmation email with the receipt for the purchase and the electronic ticket from our ticketing platform, Ticketsauce. Please print your tickets at home or bring your mobile ticket to the event. NOTE: we prefer you to bring the email on your mobile device. Please also bring a Photo ID with you to gain access to the event. For questions about ticketing, please email support@event-help.com.

WILL EVENTS SELL OUT?
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Short answer: most likely! There is a set capacity for each event for guest safety and tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot expand the capacity of any event to accommodate additional guests.

ARE TICKETS REFUNDABLE? CAN I SWITCH TICKETS FOR ANOTHER EVENT?
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All tickets are non-­refundable and cannot be exchanged. Ticket sales are final. For questions about ticketing, please email support@event-help.com.

DOES AN EVENT GET CANCELED WITH BAD WEATHER?
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While many of our events are indoors, those that are outdoors will happen rain or shine! All tickets are non-refundable.

IS THERE A SPECIAL TICKET PRICE FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL?
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No, there is not a discount for people who do not drink alcohol. There will be non-alcoholic beverage offerings available at every official festival event.

CAN I BUY TICKETS AT THE DOOR?  
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Based on availablility, tickets CAN be purchased and upgraded at the door at any AFWF event, except for our series of gourmet gatherings and brunches, which have limited seating capacities and shut down sales 2 days prior unless sold out prior.

Tickets to festival events are available online at atlfoodandwinefestival.com. During the week of the festival, you can continue to purchase tickets online. Events do sell out quickly, so we encourage you to purchase your tickets in advance!

SAFETY MEASURES

WHAT ITEMS ARE PROHIBITED TO BRING TO AN AFWF EVENT?
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The Home Depot Backyard at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a non-smoking, non-vaping and tobacco free campus. The use of any tobacco-based products, e-cigarettes and vaporizers, inside of the stadium or within the immediate gate plazas, is strictly prohibited. The following items are PROHIBITED:

Additional prohibited items and behaviors at our stadium include, but are not limited to:

• Abusive, foul or disruptive language
• Alcohol, illegal drugs or harmful chemicals
• Animals (except service animals)
• Aerosol cans or pressurized containers
• Bags that do not follow the Mercedes – Benz Stadium clear bag policy, including diaper bags and personal camera bags that do not meet clear bag policy specifications
• Batteries: Loose batteries, or batteries not used in a working, permitted device will not be allowed into the stadium. Guests should be prepared to demonstrate the batteries operational use in a permitted device to security personnel upon request
• Bottles, cans, glass and other beverage containers
• Cameras with lens longer than 6″ (detachable or non-detachable) and camera bags that do not meet clear bag policy specifications
• Chairs, booster seats, stools or other seating devices
Devices deemed suspicious by Stadium security in its sole discretion are prohibited. Guests should be prepared to demonstrate any device’s operational use upon request.
• Food items
• Hover-boards
• Inflated balls, including beach balls, or any missile or object that can be used as a projectile
• Interference with the progress of the event (including throwing objects)
• Knives of any length
• Large Umbrellas – Must be under 33 inches to be allowed in the building
• Laser Pointers
• Lights
• Masks related to health provisions are permitted; Other masks that cover or conceal identity are not permitted
• Noisemakers, including but not limited to, whistles and horns
• Pyrotechnics and fireworks of any kind including, but not limited to, flares, smoke bombs, or incendiary devices
• Remote controlled aircraft or unmanned aircraft systems (drones)
Signs or flags (no larger than 3’ X 5’), shakers, pom-poms or any item with a pole or stick
• Thermoses/Cups
• Ticket scalping
• Trespassing, soliciting, peddling and loitering
• Tripods, monopods and Selfie-Sticks
• Weapons of any kind including, but not limited to, knives, pepper spray, stun guns, concealed weapons and firearms and/or any other item or action deemed dangerous, unnecessary, inappropriate or suspicious in nature, by any MBS team member.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I’VE HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK?
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Please be responsible. There are a number of transportation and ride share options if your ability to drive is impaired.

- Safe Ride America (404) 888‐0887 *Safe Ride America is a nonprofit organization and will provide transportation for free if necessary.

- UBER Atlanta provides on-­demand sedan or SUV service. Download the UBER app to your iPhone or Android smart phone at www.uber.com or text an address and city to UBR-CAB (827-222)

- LYFT: Use your phone to go to your app store (the iOS App Store for iPhone and Google Play Store for Androids) Search for "Lyft" and install the free Lyft app.

- Atlanta Checker Cab (404) 351-1111

- Yellow Cab (678) 613-9809

TRAVEL

WHERE SHOULD I STAY?
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AFWF will be offering out of town guests special rates at our official hotel partner, the Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta. To take advantage of AFWF’s rates for individual bookings during festival weekend, please click here. For blocks of 10+ or more rooms, please email group sales at icbsales@ihg.com.

WHICH AIRPORT SHOULD I FLY INTO FOR AFWF?
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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the major airport operating in Atlanta, Georgia, closest to the festival.

WHERE CAN I PARK?
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Parking for AFWF’s tasting tents is limited. Ride share is preferred. Entry to the festival’s tasting tents is at Historic Fourth Ward Park’s North Entrance at 665 North Ave NE. All restaurants for our AFWF gourmet gatherings & brunch events offer parking options on site.

GETTING INVOLVED

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BECOMING A SPONSOR?  
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Please reach out with your inquiry to Anthony Gordon Anthony@teama21.com or submit your form on our sponsors page.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COLLABORATING AS AN INFLUENCER?
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Please reach out with your inquiry to team@greyfoxpr.com.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BECOMING A PARTICIPATING CHEF/RESTAURANT?  
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For chef/restaurant participation inquiries for AFWF 2025, please click here.

HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER?
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AFWF volunteer registration is currently live and you can sign up through out Get Involved Page.

CAN PRESS ATTEND EVENTS?
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Yes, press can attend official festival events. To apply for 2025 media passes, please click here. For media inquiries, please email team@greyfoxpr.com

STAY IN THE KNOW!

HOW CAN I STAY IN THE KNOW ON ALL THINGS AFWF?
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Sign up for our festival newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

MORE QUESTIONS?

Additional Questions?
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Please send all other questions and inquiries to afwf@teama21.com

EXPLORE EVENTS

Choose your culinary adventure with a variety of events—walk-around tastings, gourmet lunches, exquisite dinners, seminars, and much more. Curate your ultimate escape at Atlanta Food & Wine Festival presented by Invesco QQQ and select various premium experiences to savor world-class wines and indulge in culinary delights tailored to your preferences.

View Events Page

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