Good food has a way of bringing people together. On September 17, 2026, Barbecue & Bourbon brought guests to Happy Valley Farms in Rossville, Georgia, for an evening of slow-smoked barbecue, bourbon tastings, live music, and conversation around the table.
A dinner with Chef Christopher Prieto
We welcomed Chef Christopher Prieto of Prime Barbecue in North Carolina, a friend of the Anthony family, to bring his barbecue craft to the farm.
The evening’s menu began with compressed watermelon and strawberry skewers and Texas Twinkie poppers, followed by a chopped caprese salad. Brisket and smoked chicken anchored the family-style dinner, served with beef-braised green beans with sweet peppers, leek au gratin, and herb-roasted potatoes. Peach cobbler and homemade ice cream made a fitting finish.
There is something especially welcoming about a family-style meal: passing a dish, making room for another serving, and finding a new conversation across the table. The care in the cooking carried through to the way the evening felt.
Bourbon, music, and a little time to linger
Bourbon tastings and specialty cocktails added another layer to the evening, with Cook’s Mill, Chattanooga Whiskey, Blade and Bow, and Stitzel-Weller Distillery among the partners represented on our event signs.
Lon Eldridge supplied the live music. As daylight gave way to the glow of the tent, guests settled in for dinner and time together in the countryside.
The people behind the evening
Events like this come together through many talented hands. We are grateful to every partner listed on our Barbecue & Bourbon partner sign:
- Prime Barbecue (@primebbq), featuring Chef Christopher Prieto (@christopher_prieto)
- Cook’s Mill Whiskey (@cooksmillwhiskey)
- Blade and Bow (@BladeandBowWhiskey)
- Chattanooga Whiskey (@chattwhiskey)
- Stitzel-Weller Distillery (@stitzelwellerdistillery)
- Riverside Wine & Spirits (@riverside_wine)
- Lon Eldridge (@obi_lon_kenobi)
- The Copper Quail (@thecopperquail)
- White Table (@whitetable_specialtylinens)
- Luma Designs (@lumadesigns)
- Mad Honey Rentals and Design (@madhoneyrentals)
- Lookout Limousine
- Staffed by Love
Thank you, too, to our guests and the Happy Valley Farms team for making the evening such a pleasure to host.
EVents at the Farm
Restoring Happy Valley Farms has always been about creating a place where people can gather. A night like Barbecue & Bourbon brings that vision to life: a historic setting filled with good food, music, and people enjoying each other’s company.
We would love to welcome you for your own gathering. Explore our event spaces or get in touch with our team to start planning an event at Happy Valley Farms.
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