Southbound Food Festival's Heritage Dinner: Coastal Traditions

 HERITAGE DINNER: COASTAL TRADITIONS Friday, September 19 | Streets of Pepper Place 

Honoring The Frank Stitt Award for Industry Excellence recipient 

Heritage | noun | her·i·tage: Something passed down from the past—traditions, recipes, culture, and cuisine—shaped by generations before us. Rather than a single story, our state’s culinary heritage is a tapestry of ingredients, adopted by cultures and communities across the state, that together result in the rich food traditions that define us today. 

Each year, the Heritage Dinner will spotlight a different ingredient or category native to Alabama, and showcase its history, significance, and role in shaping our state’s foodways. This year’s Heritage Dinner honors Alabama’s Gulf oysters, seafood, and the deep-rooted coastal traditions that have defined our cuisine for generations. As the festival’s kickoff event, this immersive, multi-course seated dinner will showcase dishes by local and regional chefs, as well as honor the recipients of the Frank Stitt Award for Industry Excellence: Beth & Bill Walton. This unforgettable evening celebrates Gulf seafood, oysters, and Southern culinary heritage.

The Heritage Dinner is part of the Southbound Food Festival | September 19–28, 2025 | Birmingham, Alabama.
Sweet Home Alabama, InBirmingham, and Southern Living present Southbound Food Festival — a ten-day celebration of Birmingham’s magnetic food culture. From tasting tents to chef collabs, from live-fire barbecue to gospel brunch — it\’s a can\’t-miss experience for food lovers across the South.
Get tickets now at SouthboundFoodFest.com Early bird tickets are limited — don’t miss your chance! Named one of the top new festivals in the country

Tickets and full schedule at SouthboundFoodFest.com Follow @SouthboundFoodFest for updates and chef announcements! #SouthboundFoodFest