Georgia is becoming a hot spot for craft brewing. Joseph Cortes is the executive director of the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild, which serves as the voice for Georgia’s growing craft brewing industry. In advance of tomorrow’s Georgia’s Craft Brewers Festival, Joseph shared his Top 5 Atlanta Festivals with the Draft.
1. Shaky Knees Music Festival. I’m a huge fan of live music, and Shaky Knees always brings some of the best acts to town. You might need a good rain poncho this time of year, but great bands and musicians that span the decades always make for good vibes.
2. Marietta has some great festivals on the square, and one of the most unique festivals I’ve been to in all of Metro Atlanta is Chalktoberfest. The entire festival revolves around some of the best chalk artists from around the world creating beautiful art right on the street surrounding Glover Park. It’s an amazing thing to witness over a weekend, and they even have a little beer fest they’ve incorporated on Saturday!
3. A chili cookoff, live bluegrass, beer, and art on a cool November day? I’m sold! Cabbagetown Chomp & Stomp is a great festival. I’ve had friends enter the chili cookoff in years past, and I always look forward to seeing who comes out on top. There’s even a 5K, if you’re into that sort of thing.
4. I grew up listening to and playing jazz music as a trumpet player. The Atlanta Jazz Festival is one of the best. I’ve heard some of the greats there, as well as some new up-and-coming artists.
5. Atlanta Dogwood Festival is one of the truly great all-around festivals. The music, entertainment, food, and art showcase the diversity of cultures that make Atlanta great. Now that I’ve got little kiddos, I’m looking forward to going as a family.