Over 7,000 coffee enthusiasts, creators, and visitors gathered in Raidurg over the weekend for The Summer Coffee Festival, a two-day event that combined beverage tastings, food and lifestyle stalls, and live entertainment. Beyond the coffee tastings, the festival featured a coffee-themed short-film festival, a fashion flash mob, a photography contest, an F1 racing simulator, and a screening of the cricket premier league final. Winners of the short-film competition were felicitated by the cast of the upcoming film ENE Repeat, including Vishwak Sen, Abhinav Gomatam, Venkatesh Kakumanu, and Srinath Maganti.
The Art of Coffee
Visitors immersed themselves in a range of aromas and flavor profiles, sampling 15 varieties of coffee beans and trying their hand at latte art and coffee cupping. Nithin Chakravarthy Maganti, founder of a coffee community in the city, noted, “Hyderabad’s growing interest in specialty coffee was evident in the enthusiasm of visitors eager to explore new beans, flavors, and brewing methods.” On day one, actors Vishwak Sen, Abhinav Gomatam, Venkatesh Kakumanu, and Srinath Maganti met visitors and presented awards to winners in the short film contest. Srinath Maganti remarked, “If our work could find so much love despite coming from non-film backgrounds, every aspiring filmmaker here has the potential to succeed.”
Visitor Experiences
Manideep Rayadu, a real estate professional, shared, “Trying different coffees, meeting friends, and seeing the ENE Repeat crew made the experience unforgettable.” Suparna Vontair, a musician and event organizer, observed, “Hyderabad’s coffee culture is definitely growing, and events like this help bring it together. It’s nice to see everyone share space and learn from one another.” Arjun Menon, a software engineer, added, “I came expecting to spend an hour, but discovering handcrafted products and meeting the people behind them made me stay much longer.”
Beyond Brews and Tasting Sessions
Apart from coffee tastings and workshops, the festival featured creative activities, racing simulators, and photobooths that drew visitors throughout the weekend. The event successfully highlighted the city's burgeoning coffee scene and provided a platform for community engagement.
