It’s a foodie’s delight in Atlanta this March, with 8 exciting festivals to keep you busy as spring soon approaches.
Here are some of the hottest festivals happening in Atlanta:
» RELATED: Third annual Atlanta United block party to take place in Summerhill
» RELATED: Atlanta Brunch Festival will serve up something for everyone
Atlanta United Block Party
5-11 p.m. Mar. 6, Georgia Avenue, 575 Capitol Ave. SE, Atlanta, www.bigtickets.com.
Chant "Atlanta! United!" all the way to the Summerhill neighborhood for the 3rd annual Atlanta United Block Party. This event is one of the city's biggest open-streets celebration full of excited fans, giveaways, live entertainment, raffle prizes, exclusive drink specials, and more.
Tickets are $20 and attendees must be 21 and up.
Atlanta Brunch Festival
Noon to 4 p.m. Mar. 7, Atlantic Station, 241 20th St. NW, Atlanta, atlantabrunchfestival.com.
If you needed an excuse for day drinking, the Atlanta Brunch Festival is your pass. Enjoy bloody marys, mimosas, live music from Coast Guard and DJ Qtip, and of course, yummy food from some of the best restaurants around. Tickets start at $45.
» RELATED: More than 100 beers on tap for the Brookhaven Beer Fest
LuckyFest
3 p.m. Mar. 14, Park Tavern in Piedmont Park, 500 10th St. NE, Atlanta, www.parktavern.com.
St. Paddy’s Day is kicking off early this year with Lucky Fest on March 14, and what better way to celebrate than on one of Atlanta’s finest green spaces — Piedmont Park. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 after March 5, and $25 day of the event.
The Bloody Mary Festival
1-3:30 p.m. Mar. 15, The Fairmont, 1429 Fairmont Ave. NW, Atlanta, www.thebloodymaryfest.com.
Tomato, to-mah-to, however you want to pronounce it is fine by me as long as you put it in a bloody mary and serve it up fresh, which is exactly what they are going to do at The Bloody Mary Festival. The festival brings together the most innovative and crafty bloody mary mixes, as curated by the festival team of bloody mary aficionados. Tickets start at $47.50 and go up after March 15.
Pub Crawl on the BeltLine: Spring Edition
Noon to 4 p.m. Mar. 21, Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, www.bigtickets.com.
Crawl along from Inman Park to Piedmont Park, and see what's new on the East Side Trail on the Atlanta BeltLine. Tickets include up to five complimentary beverages along the BeltLine and awesome food and drink specials at each participating location. Locations include Guac y Margy's, Hawkers, New Realm, Park Tavern and more.
» RELATED: Drink up: Beltline pub crawl coming this spring
Atlanta Fermentation Fest
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mar. 22, Lee+White, 1020 White St. SW, Atlanta, www.atlanta fermentation fest.com.
The Atlanta Fermentation Fest isn’t just about beer, and it isn’t just a showcase for fermented foods. It’s both; a true celebration of all things fermented, from from kombucha to kraut to craft beer.
At Atlanta Fermentation Fest, guests can “get cultured” on the health and wellness values of including fermented food in the diet. Fermentation Fest is a family event that provides education and hands-on experiential learning about the history of traditional food preparation and how it relates to our food systems. Activities include a craft beer panel featuring Jason Pellett of Orpheus Brewing, live music, live brine hand-dye and screen printing station, and more.
The Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival
*Update: This event has been canceled.
3-8 p.m. Mar. 28, Dad's Garage, 569 Ezzard St. SE., Atlanta, www.dad'sgaragecarnival.com.
Back for a second year (after replacing the now retired BaconFest) is the biggest, stupidest, parking-lot-iest carnival in town.
“We are so excited to bring back our carnival for a second year!, says Matthew Terrell, communication director for Dad’s Garage. “This year we have a special VIP experience, with limited tickets available, which will include a special hospitality area, indoor restrooms, unlimited beer and access to the entire festival. This event is also a chance to interact one on one with our improvisers in a series of curated experiences and games.”
In addition to improviser-led booths such as “Redneck Wine Tasting,” “Wheelchair Obstacle Course,” “Bad Caricatures,” and the always-popular “Battle Shots,” will be carnival rides, stilt-walkers walking on stilts, jugglers juggling, and roaming performers who will both perform and roam.
Attendees will also find food vendors selling an array of treats, no matter the dietary restriction and much, much more. Tickets start at $12.
» RELATED: Paint the town pink at Macon's International Cherry Blossom Festival
Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival
Mar. 28-29, Blackburn Park, 3493 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, www.brookhavenga.gov.
Located in Blackburn Park, the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom festival (now in its seventh year) will feature live music and entertainment, an artist market with works from over 100 regional artists, a classic car show, a 5K run, a Kidz Zone, the popular “Pet World,” and delicious food and beverages.
