Around 20 Old Fourth Ward restaurants gathered at Studioplex Thursday evening for the 17th annual Taste of the Fourth, a food-and-drink crawl running from 6 to 9 p.m. that's doing more than filling bellies this year. A portion of festival proceeds supports youth soccer for kids along the Boulevard corridor.
A Neighborhood Festival With a New Mission
The lineup at Studioplex includes Buena Vida Tapas, City Winery, Glide Pizza, and Ruby Chow's, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. A portion of event proceeds will support the soccer initiative.
That initiative, the Old Fourth Ward Youth Soccer Program, was officially launched in June as a lasting community legacy tied to Atlanta's run as a 2026 FIFA World Cup host city, according to SaportaReport. The program partners with local club Inter Atlanta FC to provide free coaching, equipment, and games for kids ages 5 to 13 along the Boulevard corridor.
Momentum Built During the World Cup Itself
The soccer push traces back to the three-day O4W Kickoff Festival held in mid-June, which featured a USA vs. Paraguay World Cup watch party on giant screens in Historic Fourth Ward Park and an Eastside BeltLine bar crawl, according to the Old Fourth Ward Neighborhood Association. The festival offered residents a nearby way to take part in the citywide celebration. A community soccer clinic held that same month in the park drew more than 300 young participants, and Georgia's Own Credit Union donated over 175 soccer balls to regional youth organizations.
Growth and Gentrification
Studioplex is hosting the event. The Homes on Hogue property has a Walk Score of 91, according to Homes.com.
The neighborhood has also seen real estate turnover, including a pitch for 8 new homes on a lot where Boyd Variety once stood.
