Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair is a signature Atlanta Food and Wine Festival event taking place on September 13, 2026, at The Home Depot Backyard in Atlanta, Georgia. This celebrated culinary celebration puts the South's most beloved protein front and center, gathering the region's top chefs, pitmasters, and food artisans for an outdoor festival experience that is equal parts serious gastronomy and pure Southern fun. If you are searching for Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair Atlanta tickets, this is your complete guide to the event.

  • Date: September 13, 2026
  • Venue: The Home Depot Backyard
  • Location/Neighborhood: Vine City / Downtown Atlanta, adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium
  • Category: Food & Culinary Festival / Live Outdoor Event

Why Atlanta Fans Are Talking About This

Atlanta's food scene has earned its place on the national stage, and Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair is one of the events that proves it year after year. The Atlanta Food and Wine Festival is not a typical food fair — it is a curated, chef-driven experience that brings together culinary talent from across the South and beyond, and Southern Fried is one of its most talked-about standalone events.

The premise is as irresistible as it sounds. Chicken — fried, smoked, brined, spiced, and reimagined in every direction — takes center stage in a format that lets attendees eat, drink, and engage directly with the people cooking the food. This is not a passive experience. Fans walk away with new favorites, new knowledge, and almost certainly a new understanding of what fried chicken can be at its absolute peak.

Demand for Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair The Home Depot Backyard tickets is strong every year, and 2026 is no different. The Atlanta Food and Wine Fest has built a loyal following that treats these events like concerts — planning months in advance, coordinating with friends, and securing tickets early. Atlanta's foodie community is vocal, connected, and deeply committed to supporting events like this one.

Everything You Need to Know About Atlanta Food and Wine Fest

The Atlanta Food and Wine Festival has been a cornerstone of the city's culinary calendar since its founding. It was built on a simple but powerful idea: celebrate the food, drink, and culture of the American South at the highest possible level. Over the years, it has grown into one of the most respected regional food festivals in the country, attracting James Beard Award winners, celebrated restaurateurs, innovative bartenders, and passionate producers who are defining what Southern food looks like today.

Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair stands out even within the broader festival lineup. It is specific, celebratory, and deeply rooted in Southern identity. Chicken is not a side note here — it is the entire conversation. Participating chefs bring serious technique and regional pride to every plate, and the event atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between accessible fun and culinary depth.

For Atlanta fans, this event carries extra meaning. Atlanta is a city that takes its food seriously, and Atlanta Food and Wine Fest events consistently reflect the city's diverse, evolving, and ambitious restaurant culture. Southern Fried is a reminder that the South's most iconic dishes deserve the same reverence and creativity as any fine dining tasting menu.

Plan Your Night at The Home Depot Backyard

The Home Depot Backyard is one of Atlanta's premier outdoor event venues, located directly adjacent to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Vine City and downtown Atlanta corridor. The open-air setting is purpose-built for large-scale events and offers plenty of space for festival-style programming, food stations, and live entertainment.

Here is what Atlanta fans need to know before they arrive:

  • Transit: The Home Depot Backyard is steps from the GWCC/CNN Center MARTA station on the Green and Blue lines, making it one of the most transit-accessible venues in the city. Leave the car at home and ride MARTA directly to the event.
  • Parking: Multiple parking decks are available in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium complex and surrounding downtown Atlanta area. Arrive early or use a pre-booked parking app to lock in your spot.
  • What to Wear: September in Atlanta is warm and often humid — dress comfortably and wear shoes you do not mind standing in for a few hours. Light layers are smart as the evening cools.
  • What to Bring: A valid ID, your ticket on your phone, and an appetite. Most food festivals of this caliber do not allow outside food or beverages.
  • Arrival Tip: Get there early. The best culinary festival experiences happen in the first hour, before lines form at the most popular stations.

The Home Depot Backyard's open layout means Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair has room to breathe — there is no cramped convention center feel here. This is Atlanta outdoor festival culture at its best, with the downtown skyline as your backdrop.

Secure your Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair Atlanta tickets now on atlticket.exchange, Atlanta's peer-to-peer ticket marketplace where local fans buy and sell tickets directly. Whether you are going solo or bringing a crew, atlticket.exchange is the trusted local source for getting into Atlanta's best events.

Where can I buy Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair tickets in Atlanta?

The best place to buy Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair tickets in Atlanta is atlticket.exchange, Atlanta's dedicated peer-to-peer ticket marketplace. It connects local buyers and sellers directly, making it the go-to platform for Atlanta food festival tickets and live event access across the city.

Is The Home Depot Backyard accessible by MARTA?

Yes. The Home Depot Backyard is directly accessible via MARTA at the GWCC/CNN Center station, served by both the Green and Blue lines. It is one of the easiest major venues in Atlanta to reach without a car, and MARTA is the recommended way to travel on busy event days downtown.

What kind of experience is Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair?

Southern Fried: A Chicken Affair is an outdoor culinary festival produced by the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival that celebrates chicken in all its Southern forms. Attendees sample dishes prepared by top regional chefs and food artisans, with a festive, social atmosphere that blends serious food culture with accessible, crowd-pleasing fun. It is ideal for food lovers, date nights, friend groups, and anyone who wants to experience Atlanta's culinary scene at its most celebratory.