2026 Southbound Food Festival Culminates With Funk Brunch, Capping Off 10 Days of Culinary Celebration

Photos by Reginald Allen | For the Birmingham Times

The Southbound Food Festival returned to the Magic City for its fourth annual celebration of all things food, drink and entertainment.

For 10 days, Birmingham hosted various events and pop-up shops, offering residents a chance to not only sample some of the city’s dining options, but also experience meals from eateries across the country.

The festival culminated at Sloss Furnace with its biggest event — The Food & Fire Festival.

Brian Jupiter, executive chef of Ina Mae Tavern in Chicago, was one of the man vendors featured at the Funk Brunch at Sloss Furnace. (Reginald Allen, for the Birmingham Times)

The day-long event allowed patrons to taste tapas-sized items from local mainstays like La Fete to popular destinations like Chicago’s Ina Mae Tavern. In addition to a seemingly endless cornucopia of finger foods and desserts, patrons were treated to live music and special onstage demonstrations from Master of Que winner Erica Barrett and content creator Dom Holloway.

The Southbound Food Festival closed out with the Funk Brunch, an intimate gathering that offered patrons a curated selection of food and drink from local and regional eateries around the South.

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Dreamland BBQ were one of the many vendors featured at the Food & Fire Festival held at Sloss Furnace. (Reginald Allen, for the Birmingham Times)

Judah Leon of KBC cooks a fresh batch of their signature Korean wings at the Food & Fire Festival at Sloss Furnace. (Reginald Allen, for the Birmingham Times)

Patrons enjoy the VIP area of the Food & Fire festival (Reginald Allen, for the Birmigham Times)

Lauren Sharp Gavin of Last Call Bakery serves a guest one of their signature pastries at the Funk Brunch held at Sloss Furnace. (Reginald Allen, for the Birmingham Times)

The Southbound Food Festival closed out it's four year with the Funk Brunch, a intimate gathering that offered patrons a curated selection of food and drink from local and regional eateries around the South. (Reginald Allen, For the Birmingham Times)

Southbound sponsor Shipt provided patrons with complimentary bags that could be filled with travel-sized toiliteries. (Reginald Allen, for the Birmingham Times)