Gluten-free food festival, chef-led fundraisers and more September events

Despite the hot weather, September marks the return of outdoor festivals like the Gluten Freedom Festival at Monday Night Brewing, FoodieLand at EchoPark Speedway and the popular Atlanta Food & Wine Festival in downtown.

Also on the calendar this month are several fundraisers, a salt-focused workshop and the inaugural West Midtown Restaurant Week. Here’s the complete lineup of things to do this September in metro Atlanta.

Amore e Amore has transformed its dining room with spooky decor for the fall. (Courtesy of Brandon Amato)

A Nightmare on Highland

Amore e Amore has transformed with its latest Halloween theme featuring eerie, floor-to-ceiling decor and a special cocktail menu. Find drink offerings like the “basic witch” with vodka, raspberry liqueur, lime and pomegranate juice; the smoky ghostface with Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky, Angostura and orange bitters; and a mocktail called the zombie brains sangria.

Through Oct. 31. 467 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-600-2176, amoreeamore.com

Vesper celebrates its anniversary

Vesper, a cocktail bar in Glenwood Park, will celebrate its sixth anniversary early this month. The party begins with a welcome drink upon arrival, and a DJ will play music throughout the evening. Nine Dot, a cannabis-infused beverage maker, will also join with samples.

5 p.m. Sept. 3. 924 Garrett St., Atlanta. 404-343-1174, vesperatl.com

FoodieLand will see a visit from MaruMart, a Maruchan pop-up with Instant Lunch cups and other items. (Courtesy of Maruchan)

FoodieLand

Spend Labor Day Weekend at this national food festival headed to EchoPark Speedway (formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway) in Hampton. Expect more than 250 vendors serving global foods, live music and games. Vendors include MaruMart (a ramen convenience store pop-up from the Maruchan brand), Yi Fan Noodle, MilkCha Boba, Lumpia Bucket, Hawaiian Honey Combs, Hana Hou Shaved Ice and Dimsum Master.

3-10 p.m. Sept. 4; 1-10 p.m. Sept. 5-6. $15 per person. 1500 Tara Place, Hampton. foodielandnm.com/city/atlanta

The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival returns to the Home Depot Backyard near Mercedes-Benz Stadium in September. (Courtesy of Raftermen)

The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

Head to the Home Depot Backyard next to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for this year’s Atlanta Food & Wine Festival centered around the theme, “The City is the Story,” according to a news release. The hosts will include Atlanta Journal-Constitution food and dining editor Monti Carlo, who will open the festival Thursday with the Atlanta Standard kickoff event, featuring live entertainment, tasting tents and beverages. Throughout the rest of the weekend, popular chefs including Andrew Zimmern, Shawn Osbey, Ford Fry, Kardea Brown and Kelli Potter will host their own tasting tents with dedicated tasting stations, and more than 200 chefs will be handing out food.

Sept. 10-13. Starting at $125 per person. 1 Backyard Way, Atlanta. atlfoodandwinefestival.com

Atlanta Home Show

The Cobb Convention Center will host the Atlanta Home Show this month with special guests Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin Davison from “America’s Test Kitchen” and “Cook’s Country.” The pair will set up on the main stage to answer audience questions and deconstruct recipes.

Lancaster and Davison food event: 2 p.m. Sept. 11. Noon Sept. 12. Full Home Show schedule: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 11, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sept. 12, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 13. Admission free Sept. 11, $8-$10 on Sept. 12-13. 2 Galleria Parkway SE, Atlanta. fallatlantahomeshow.com

Meals on Wheels Atlanta Power luncheon

Meals on Wheels Atlanta will hold a power luncheon centered around the theme of “curating a life of style and impact,” according to a news release. The event includes a conversation moderated by TV host Cara Kneer with speakers including Emily Loftiss of Iconic Brand, actor and entrepreneur Eva Marcille, architect John Plaster and Helen Zhang, co-founder of Alcove Aesthetics. Guests can enjoy conversations, networking and lunch, with the proceeds going to Meals on Wheels Atlanta.

11:30 a.m. Sept. 17. $375 per person. 1705 Commerce Drive NW, Atlanta. mowatl.org

Cocktails & Castoffs

Development in Gardening, a nonprofit that partners with global communities in Kenya, Uganda and Senegal to strengthen farming practices, will host its annual fundraiser at Demetrius Brown’s forthcoming Summerhill restaurant, Heritage Supper Club. The evening will feature dishes from Brown and chefs Justin Dixon of Humble Mumble and Maximilian Hines of Stolen Goods.

The cocktail party and silent auction is at Halfway Crooks Brewery. The chef’s dinner at Heritage Supper Club has sold out.

Cocktail party. 5-6:30 p.m. Sept. 20. $75 per person. 60 Georgia Ave. SE, Atlanta. dig.org/cocktails-castoffs-in-atlanta

West Midtown Restaurant Week

The west Midtown neighborhood will hold its first restaurant week, with participating restaurants offering special menus and deals to highlight their offerings. Restaurants involved so far include Bacchanalia, Miller Union, Emmy Squared Pizza, Barrel Proof, Summerland and Your 3rd Spot.

Sept. 20-26. Multiple locations. westmidtownrestaurantweek.com

Sake Dinner and Pairing

Head to Mirae in Brookhaven for a five-course meal with sake pairings in collaboration with Brookhaven Wines and Jenny O’Donnell from New York Mutual Trading. Guests will be welcomed with a first course of fried bao and caviar paired with sparkling junmai sake. Subsequent courses include sea bass with celery root, galangal puree, asparagus and gochugaru and Peking duck.

6 p.m. Sept. 23. $210 per guest. 1350 Dresden Drive NE, Brookhaven. 470-355-6221, miraeatl.com

Beautiful Briny Sea: Salt Tasting and Blending with Suzi Sheffield

As part of the Museum of Design Atlanta’s special exhibition “Salt: A Design Story,” the owner of Beautiful Briny Sea, Suzi Sheffield, will host an evening of tasting, talking and blending salt. Attendees will learn how to taste salt and recognize its nuances and the basics of pairing herbs and spices with salt. Guests will also build their own blend to bring home.

6-7 p.m. Sept. 24. $26.25 for MODA members $35 for others. 1315 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-979-6455, museumofdesign.org

Party in the Kitchen fundraiser

This fundraiser will bring together some of Atlanta’s popular chefs for an evening that supports Open Hand, a nonprofit that prepares and delivers nutritious meals to homebound people around Georgia. During the fundraiser at the Foundry at Puritan Mill, guests can try dishes from more than 10 participating chefs including Kevin Rathbun and Peter Kaiser. There will also be live entertainment and a silent auction.

6:30 p.m. Sept. 24. $400 per person. 916 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. NW, Atlanta. openhandatlanta.org

Monday Night Brewing's Gluten Freedom Festival will feature gluten-free food offerings like pizza, wings, beer and more. (Courtesy of Monday Night Brewing)

Gluten Freedom Festival Atlanta