It’s a Swamp Thing, You Might Not Understand

January 31 - February 2, 2025, Rain or Shine 

Five years running, err paddling, it’s become a GK tradition: an Okefenokee experience with some of the best chefs in Atlanta. 

Giving Kitchen’s Okefenokee Adventure is a ten person, two-night*, three-day trip through the Okefenokee Swamp, camping and exploring one of the wildest and most beautiful places in the nation – all while enjoying incredible food, drink and live music around the campfire. Every paddle stroke is breathtaking, every meal is memorable, this is the best Okefenokee trip ever. Trip leaders will work with auction winners to plan a “skills appropriate” overnight experience that could include platform camping.

About our Okefenokee Hosts:

Chefs

Unique meals and beverages will be prepared by:

  • Terry Koval (The Deer and The Dove, B-Side, Fawn) 

  • Todd Mussman (Muss & Turner’s, MTH Pizza, Local Three, Roshambo)

  • Hector Santiago (El Super Pan, La Metro, El Burro Pollo)

  • Ryan Turner (Muss & Turner’s, MTH Pizza, Local Three, Roshambo)

Naturalist

Cathy Sakas is Georgia’s greatest living naturalist and an accomplished Okefenokee guide. She’s led more than 300 trips through the Okefenokee and will work directly with the auction winners to plan the best trip possible (based on skill level and interests). Scott Taylor (Three Rivers Outdoors) will provide canoes, canoe equipment and a lifetime of riverman knowledge. Bryan Schroeder, former Georgia Conservancy trips director and paddle trip maven, will join the trip as orchestrator and trip planner.

Beer and Wine

What world class beer and wine pairs best with gators, otters, herons and other wildlife? Only craft beer and wine aficionados would know, and we have two of the best in the business. Dave Blanchard, co-owner of Brick Store Pub, will be pouring a selection of rare, weird and wild beers around the campfire for the weekend and Ryan Turner, Unsukay founder and partner, will be pairing wines all weekend long.

Giving Kitchen will host a trip planning pizza party at MTH and create a custom Okefenokee experience based on auction winner experience and desire. Camping with bathrooms, electricity with day trips in the swamp or wilderness platform camping - you choose! 

This experience is rain or shine. 

January 31 - February 2nd, 2025

*Option to join for a third night at “base camp” as trip hosts assemble on 1/30

Taylor Olmstead