Get ready, Birmingham—your calendar is about to fill up with something delicious.

Southbound Food Festival is back for its fourth year from September 18-27, and this time it’s bringing over 100 chefs and culinary talents together for 10 days of dinners, demonstrations, collaborations, music, and pure celebration all across the Magic City.

But calling Southbound “one big food festival” doesn’t quite capture it. This year’s programming is a collection of experiences, each one a different window into the people, traditions, and creativity that make Birmingham’s food scene so incredibly special.

Whether you’re drawn to a seated dinner built around one of the South’s most beloved ingredients, a market celebrating women in food, a city-wide series of restaurant collaborations, a smoky afternoon devoted to fire cooking, or a music-filled brunch under the iron of Sloss Furnaces—there’s a place for you at the table this year.

Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of it.

Heritage Dinner: Chicken & the Egg

Friday, Sept. 18 | 6–10 p.m. | 29th Street at Pepper Place

Southbound opens with something warm and familiar: a multi-course dinner built around chicken and the egg, two ingredients that have quietly shaped Southern cooking for generations.

Chefs from around the region will bring their own personal touch to these humble staples, turning them into something new while honoring where they came from. The evening also holds space for gratitude—this year’s Frank Stitt Award for Industry Excellence goes to Atlanta chef Anne Quatrano, whose decades of work have left a lasting mark on Southern, farm-to-table cooking.

Rooted: Women in Food

Saturday, Sept. 19 | 7 a.m.–noon | Market at Pepper Place

Saturday morning brings a celebration close to the heart of Southbound: Rooted, a tribute to the women who have shaped, and continue to shape, the South’s culinary landscape.

This year’s theme, “Legacy in Motion,” looks at how knowledge, tradition, and inspiration pass from one generation to the next. Expect a market full of life: female farmers, artisans, and makers sharing their craft, alongside chef demonstrations, book signings, and heartfelt conversations.

Four chefs will lead live cooking demos and panel discussions about the women who shaped their own paths in the kitchen—a lovely reminder that every chef stands on someone else’s shoulders.

If you’d like to keep the morning going, ticket holders are invited to a Rooted Meet & Greet at Hot and Hot Fish Club, complete with brunch cocktails crafted by local mixologists, delicious bites, and a chance to connect with the chefs themselves.

HOSTED: Southbound Across Birmingham

All week | Local restaurants and establishments

Not everything about Southbound happens in one spot—chefs are restaurants collaborate all week long.

The HOSTED Series carries the festival’s spirit into neighborhoods across Birmingham, pairing local restaurants and bars with visiting chefs, artists, and culinary partners for one-night-only collaborations and pop-ups. The series is built on a simple, generous idea: open the doors, welcome everyone in, and create something that could only happen together.

These events are a chance to see familiar restaurants in a new light while introducing local favorites to visiting talent from elsewhere. And best of all, unlike many of the festival’s larger ticketed events, most HOSTED experiences are open to the public.

For Birmingham locals, this might be the easiest—and most personal—way to slip Southbound into an ordinary week. Book a special dinner, wander into a pop-up, or finally try that restaurant you’ve been meaning to visit. Expect to see favorites participating: Bayonet, La Fête, Automatic Seafood, Current Charcoal Grill, Ralph’s Listening Room, and Salud, just to name a few. A full calendar of events is now out, and while most walk-ins are welcome, you can plan ahead here.

Southern Living’s Food & Fire

Saturday, Sept. 26 | noon–4 p.m. | Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

If you believe food tastes just a little better with some smoke, this one’s for you.

Food & Fire brings chefs and pitmasters together at Sloss Furnaces for an afternoon built entirely around live-fire cooking, barbecue, and Southern tailgate traditions. Wander from table to table, sample incredible dishes, watch cooking demonstrations, and let the live music carry you through the afternoon.

The setting makes it unforgettable. Sloss Furnaces’ industrial, historic backdrop gives this Southern culinary tradition a stage that feels distinctly Birmingham.

This year’s lineup is a barbecue lover’s dream, featuring names like Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Dreamland BBQ, Pat Martin of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, and Christopher Prieto of Prime Barbecue. Round it out with the Southern Living Tailgate Stage, live music, and a beer and wine garden, and you’ve got the perfect Saturday.

Funk Brunch: Juke Jam

Sunday, Sept. 27 | 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. | Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

Southbound closes the way the South does best—with food and music, together.

This year’s Funk Brunch, called “Juke Jam,” draws inspiration from Alabama’s beloved juke-joint tradition. Expect Alabama-inspired dishes reimagined by a lineup of talented chefs, craft cocktails, and soulful live performances from Early James and Blind Mississippi Morris.

It’s a low-key way to close things out the week: good food, good music, and plenty of time to enjoy both.

More Than a Food Festival

Put it all together, and Southbound tells a bigger story about Birmingham’s relationship with food.

What began as FOOD+Culture back in 2022 has grown into a beloved 10-day celebration bringing chefs, farmers, makers, and food lovers together, all while honoring the people and places that make Birmingham’s food community so distinctive. At its core, Southbound is rooted in equity, the arts, sustainability, and community, always balancing respect for tradition with room for new voices and ideas.

That balance is part of what makes it feel different from other food festivals. One day might dig into the history of a Southern ingredient; the next might celebrate the women shaping the industry today. One night might unfold at a neighborhood restaurant; another might be music-filled afternoon at Sloss Furnaces.

There’s a place here for the serious food lover, the casual diner, the curious newcomer, and anyone who just wants a good reason to spend more time eating around this city. No matter what vibe you’re after, there’s certainly a place for you.

Plan Your Southbound

Southbound Food Festival runs September 18–27, 2026, with events at locations across Birmingham.

Tickets are available now for the festival’s signature events—Heritage Dinner, Rooted Meet & Greet, Food & Fire, and Funk Brunch. The HOSTED schedule adds even more experiences throughout the week, and most are open to the public unless noted otherwise.

For the full schedule, participating chefs, and tickets, visit the Southbound Food Festival website.