Your guide to the Birmingham FOOD+Culture Festival, Sept. 19-22

Attention all Birmingham foodies: the second annual Birmingham FOOD+Culture Festival is right around the corner! Named the 3rd best new festival in 2023 in the country by USA Today, the Birmingham FOOD+Culture Festival is your chance to indulge in the rich flavors and traditions that Birmingham’s vibrant culinary scene has become known for.

Read on to learn more about this can’t-miss event and how you can attend!

About the Birmingham FOOD+Culture Festival

First hosted in Birmingham in 2023, the FOOD+Culture Festival is back and better than ever. The festival is meant to celebrate Alabama’s culinary heritage and diversity, and highlights Birmingham as a foodie destination.

“The Birmingham FOOD+Culture Festival is proud to continue showcasing the diverse culinary traditions and talent that make Birmingham such a unique and vibrant destination.

We are thrilled to once again welcome food enthusiasts from near and far to join us for another unforgettable celebration of Birmingham’s culinary community.”

Cathy Sloss Jones, Sloss Real Estate CEO/President and FOOD+ Board President

This year, more than 100 talented chefs will participate in the festival, including:

• Carla Hall
• Timothy Hontzas
• Rob McDaniel
• Adam Evans
• Kelsey Barnard Clark
• Gregory Collier
• Cheetie Kumar
• Michelle Wallace

Visit the FOOD+ website to learn more and see the full list of participating chefs.

Your guide to events at the Birmingham FOOD+Culture Festival, Sept. 19-22

The festival will be hosted at several venues across the city, centered around Pepper Place and Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark.

• FOOD+Frank: The Frank Stitt Award for Industry Excellence
  • What: A cocktail reception honoring an industry leader and paying tribute to the 2024 honoree’s innovation and impact on the culinary industry.
  • When: Thursday, Sept. 19 from 5:30PM to 8PM
  • Where: Birmingham Museum of Art
• FOOD+Heritage
  • What: Experience the vibrant flavors of Birmingham’s Greek community with a multi-course, seated dinner under the stars celebrating Greek flavors and traditions—Opa! 
  • When: Friday, Sept. 20 from 6PM to 10PM
  • Where: Pepper Place
• FOOD+Market Mix
  • What: Join FOOD+Culture Festival for a morning market mix of your favorite farmers, female chefs (including Carla Hall and Kelsey Barnard Clark), storytellers and authors at one of America’s oldest farmers markets. 
  • When: Saturday, Sept. 21 from 7AM to Noon
  • Where: The Market at Pepper Place
• Southern Living’s FOOD+Fire
  • What: A walk-around tasting event celebrating barbeque, live-fire cooking and Southern tailgate culture.
  • When: Saturday, Sept. 21 from Noon to 5PM
  • Where: Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
• FOOD+Funk: Grits and Grooves
  • What: A Sunday fun-day brunch where you can get your groove on to the Grammy award winning Dirty Dozen Brass Band while savoring creative brunch dishes highlighting the essence of Southern hospitality as well as Alabama’s timeless love affair with grits.
  • When: Sunday, Sept. 22 from 11:30AM to 2PM
  • Where: Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

In addition to these events, the festival includes the FOOD+Friends Dinner Series—a variety of public dinners featuring surprise pop-up menus from visiting guest chefs in participating restaurants. Those chefs, restaurants and dates are:

• Monday, Sept. 16
  • Little Betty Steak Bar
    • Host Chef Kyle Biddy
    • Guest Chef Pat Pascarella, The Porchetta Group, Atlanta, GA
  • Cayo Coco Rum Bar
    • Host Chef Chris Ippolito
    • Guest Chef Chase Ridgers, Huntsville, AL
• Wednesday, Sept. 18
  • Bottega
    • Host Chef Frank Stitt
    • Guest Chef James London, Chubby Fish, Charleston, SC
  • The Kelly
    • Host Chef Lee Pantazis
    • Guest Chef Jonathan Harrison, Columbiana, AL
  • Pizza Grace
    • Host Chef Ryan Westover
    • Guest Chef Brian Wolfe, The Son of A Butcher, Birmingham, AL
• Thursday, Sept. 19
  • Helen
    • Host Chef Rob McDaniel
    • Guest Chef Hunter Evans, Elvie’s, Jackson, MS
  • Salud Taqueria
    • Host Chef Jesus Mendez
    • Guest Chef Giovanni Cervantes, Taqueria Ramirez, Brooklyn, NY
• Saturday, Sept. 21
  • Shu Shop
    • Host Chef Jason Templin
    • Guest Chef Roscoe Hall, Birmingham, AL

Planning to attend the 2024 Birmingham FOOD+Culture Festival? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!