Southern Ground Introduces ‘Foodie’ Ticket, Announces Chefs

This year’s Nashville’s Southern Ground Music & Food Festival is set to include a “Foodie” ticket, a custom Jenni’s ice cream flavor, and an award-winning chef lineup for the Sept. 27-28 event.

“Foodie” passes include exclusive access to a covered lounge, complete with gourmet dinner buffet, beer and wine pairings, as well as elevated stage viewing areas. The general admission upgrade also includes chef demos, signature dishes, Q&As, meet-and-greets, and a exclusive menu at the Listening Room Café.

The Nashville event will welcome beer sommelier Gary Valentine to curate the festival’s Craft Beer Tent and offer pairing suggestions for all festival food.

All attendees have access to concessions including food from the Southern Ground Social Club, Zac Brown Band’s mobile kitchen, Nashville’s The Southern Steak & Oyster, Jeni’s Ice Cream, as well as cuisine from James Beard winner RJ Cooper‘s new Gypsy Soul, and Watermark’s Bob Waggoner, host of the new PBS show “Sing For Your Supper.”

Chefs include Stephanie Izard of Chicago’s The Goat and Little Goat, Giuseppe Tentori of Chicago’s GT Fish & Oyster and Boka restaurants, Shon Foster of Utah’s Amangiri Resort, and Southern Ground Executive Chef Rusty Hamlin.

Izard plans a “Sloppy Goat” sandwich made with Illinois farm-raised goat, topped with rosemary slaw served on a freshly baked roll. Tentori will prepare oyster po’boy sliders with kimchi and peanuts. Foster will curate the “S’mores School” with handcrafted ingredients such as homemade flavored marshmallows, dark chocolate, and organic, salt-cured bacon all prepared over an open fire.

Playing the stage at the Great Lawn at Riverfront Park will be Willie Nelson and Family, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, Eli Young Band, Kacey Musgraves, The Head and The Heart, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Dawes, Blackberry Smoke, The Wood Brothers, and others. Zac Brown Band’s nightly set will feature sit-in performances by John Fogerty and Jason Mraz, with forthcoming announcements soon.

Foodie tickets will be available starting tomorrow (July 24) at 10 a.m. To upgrade existing tickets, call Ticketfly at 877-4-FLY-TIX. Click here for more information.