Twelve Tastiest Events on the Culinary Calendar in Denver This Weekend

Yes, there are lots of tasty events on the menu, but let's remember why we have a three-day weekend: Memorial Day, a holiday to honor those who have served our country. Max's Wine Dive is showing its appreciation to active military and first responders by offering a free appetizer and dessert, with the purchase of any entrée, to first responders and military personnel in uniform or with proper identification. The deal's from today through May 21; for more information, contact Max's at 303-593-2554.

There's plenty more to do this weekend, and even though the weather outlook seems cloudy, the culinary calendar is promising, with many tasty events in Denver and more along the Front Range. Keep reading for our top twelve events over the next few days, and don't miss our Memorial Day list of places for food and fun.

Friday, May 27

TheBigWonderful is on the move. The sustainable market will make its debut in Littleton, at Geneva Lake Park, from 4 to 10 p.m. today and will return from 2 to 8 p.m. tomorrow. The location is new, but the activities are the same ones people have come to love at TheBigWonderful: You can shop, eat, drink, play games and shake it to live music. Get all the details at thebigwonderful.com.

Zephyr Brewery is bringing sweets and suds together for the brewery's Beer and Chocolate pairing, which will offer Zephyr beers and chocolate from Chocolate Labs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. today. Tickets are $20 and limited to thirty people; purchase them here.    

Jax Glendale is throwing an ’80s-themed Summer Kickoff Party on the restaurant's rooftop from 5:30 to 9 p.m. today. The totally rad party will feature ’80s food and drink favorites like electric lemonade, Long Island iced tea, sloppy joes and cheese dogs, as well as throwback jams by local band the Goonies. For more information, contact Jax at 303-756-6449. 

Cook Street School of Culinary Arts will hold a Bites n' Brews class from 6 to 9:30 p.m. today. You can learn to cook with craft beers, and pair menus with brews, too.  Tuition is $99; a complete meal with beer is included. Register and learn more at cookstreet.com.   

Wines off Wynkoop will be holding a free Friday wine tasting today. Head in between 1 and 6 p.m. to taste the Palladium Cabernet Franc 2014 from the Veneto region of Italy as well as the Canyon Wind "47-Ten" 2015 Red Blend from Grand Valley, Colorado. The store will also offer special discounts on the bottles. For more information, call 303-571-1012. 

Keep reading for more events.

Saturday, May 28 

In its 29th year, the Boulder Creek Festival will flood the banks of Boulder Creek with nine event areas, 500 vendors, four performance stages, carnival rides, food and beverage options, a beer garden, rubber duck race and more. The event runs all today through Monday; for more information, click here. 

The Pressed Conference, a hard-cider festival featuring cideries from across the Rocky Mountains, will squeeze into the Highlands Masonic Center from 2 to 5 p.m. today.  This inaugural event will feature a slew of cideries, live music, an assortment of food trucks and more. Tickets are $40 for unlimited tastings, or $20 for designated drivers; pick yours up here.

Sunday, May 29 

For those of you running the Bolder Boulder tomorrow, Jill's Restaurant at the St. Julien Hotel will be offering a “Boulder Binge” dinner from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. tonight. For $24.95 per person, you can tackle a spread of carb-heavy options to make sure you're loaded for the race. Contact the restaurant at 720-406-7399 for reservations.  

The Source and Slow Food Denver are teaming up to bring you a weekly indoor farmers' market, showcasing a collection of local growers and producers. The Slow Food Farmers' Market will debut today, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will feature nine guest vendors including Rosenberg's Bagels, Il Porcellino, La Joyia Farm, Five Points Fermentation and more. You can expect interactive and educational programming, culinary and cocktail-making demonstrations, rotating guest vendors and in-store special events at the Source’s retailers. The Slow Food Market will repeat every Sunday through October. For more information, contact the Source at 720-443-1135. 

Monday, May 30 

Zengo and La Biblioteca will be extending their weekend Bottomless Brunch and Bloody Bar for Memorial Day. For $39 between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., you can enjoy unlimited small plates, brunch cocktails and a bloody bar with more than thirty toppings and hot sauces. 

For the final Monday Night Wine Dinner of the month, Frasca Food and Wine welcomes Jay Joralemon, who will be pouring the wines of Cantina Bolzano. The dinner is $50, with optional wine pairings ranging from $45 to $50. Call Frasca at 303-442-6966 for reservations.  

The Historic Elitch Theatre will be the backdrop for a barbecue and picnic on the theater's front lawn from noon to 3p.m. this Memorial Day. The event will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the theater, and revive the traditional picnic that Mary Elitch used to throw in May to kick off the theater season. There will be live music from Play'n Dirty, barbecue from Block & Larder (featuring fresh bread from Hops & Pie), wine from Local 46 and Jolly Goods, beer from Call to Arms Brewing Company, Goldspot Brewing Company and Factotum Brewhouse, family activities and more. Admission is free; food options range from $5 to $10. Get all the details on the event's Facebook page.
  
For more Food & Drink events, go to our online calendar. If you know of an event that should be included in that calendar, send information to [email protected].