Good Day Atlanta viewer information: July 26, 2022

ATLANTA - Restaurant celebrates France’s "big summer festival":  

If you don’t know how Atlanta restaurant Cooks & Soldiers celebrates Fêtes de Bayonne by now, you clearly haven’t been watching Good Day Atlanta!

Since 2017, we’ve made it a point to stop by the popular West Midtown restaurant in late July, as executive chef John Castellucci and his team prepare for their annual Fêtes de Bayonne celebration. Now, just in case you’re new to town (in which case, we’ll give you a pass), here’s a primer: Cooks & Soldiers — owned by Atlanta’s Castellucci Hospitality Group — specializes in flavors from the Basque Country in Spain and France, and every year, the restaurant hosts its own version of what has become the largest festival in France.

According to the Cooks & Soldiers website, the history of Fêtes de Bayonne (also known as "the big summer festival") dates back to July 1932, when the French city’s rugby team decided to create a celebration similar to the one surrounding the running of the bulls in Spain. Revelers traditionally dress in red and white during the five-day festival, which is why diners at Cooks & Soldiers are encouraged to do the same!

This year’s Fêtes de Bayonne celebration at Cooks & Soldiers is happening on Sunday, July 31, starting at 1 p.m. and continuing until 6 p.m. — general admission tickets are $48 and include all-you-can eat, and VIP tickets are $68 and also include drinks. To purchase tickets, click here.

Of course, we couldn’t resist spending another morning at one of our favorite restaurants, taking a "vacation" to France without ever leaving the city. Click the video player in this article to check out morning at Cooks & Soldiers.

Afrikan Djeli Cultural Institute hosts their 13th Annual Atlanta African Dance and Drum Festival: This three-day festival features a diverse range of music and dance workshops taught by some of African dance's most sought after instructors from Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Cuba. Additionally, patrons can expect to enjoy an African inspired marketplace featuring artisans, creators, and food vendors. The festival will begin Friday, July 29 at 9 p.m. with a special Afro-beats class taught by Atlanta based dancer Cece Tor, who has gained a tremendous following sharing her love for Afro-dance via social media, followed by AADDF's coveted midnight dance class. The remainder of the festival will feature workshops from 10 a.m, to 6:30 p.m. For a full event schedule click here.

Wildlife expert and biologist Forrest Galante gives tips on how to stay safe in the water after shark attacks: Forrest Galante, who also hosts Shark Weekm is returning to Discovery and Discovery+ July 27 at 8 p.m. In this episode, Forrest will explore "The Island of the Walking Sharks." Forrest offers viewers tips on how to stay safe in the water this summer.  The states with the most shark attacks ever recorded are Florida, Hawaii, California, and the Carolinas. Florida is known as the "shark attack capital of the world" and accounts for more than half of the total shark attacks in the United States each year. For more information on "The Island of Walking Sharks" click here.

AEBL Founder Jah Rawlings and Women's commissioner Christina "Ms.Basketball" Granville discuss the upcoming season: The Atlanta Basketball League has a jam-packed schedule of basketball events in Atlanta this summer. For more information on the league click here. 

Ally Lynn talks National Aunts and Uncles Day: Today is a special day for Aunts and Uncles. Ally Lynn gives us a list of celebrity aunts and uncles and also announces information on her upcoming podcast "The Rich Aunties."