Twenty Tastiest Events on the Culinary Calendar in Denver, June 24-26

This weekend is jam-packed with events, including the Westword Music Showcase on Saturday. Sure, there will be food there — though music clearly has the starring role. But food is in the spotlight at dozens of other events around town; here are the twenty top items on our culinary calendar this weekend.

Friday, June 24

LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) has been hosting the Amazing Traveling Silent Auction to benefit the Prom Dress Exchange every Friday this month at a different Denver location. This evening, the ladies will make their final stop, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Gary Lee's. For more information, check out the event's Facebook page.

Natural Grocers is launching the good4u Nutrition Challenge Sweepstakes today. Enter, and you'll be rewarded for taking nutrition-education classes, trying new fruits and veggies and exploring recipes. Between today and July 24, the good4u Nutrition Challenge will give out an estimated 17,000 prizes, including gift cards and groceries valued at over $100,000. Learn more at naturalgrocers.com. 

TheBigWonderful is popping over to Geneva Lake Park in Littleton for the weekend. Enjoy all the live music, shopping, drinks, food and games that you've come to expect from TBW, from 4 to 10 p.m. today and again from noon to 8 p.m. tomorrow. Admission is free; find at more at thebigwonderful.com.  

Keep reading for events Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday, June 25 

Harry's Urban Farmers' Market, 2409 Arapahoe Street, is kicking off its summer season with a Big Bash from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. You can browse the market while listening to music by Mono Verde; parents and faculty of Denver Public Schools will receive 25 percent off any purchase. Register on the event's Facebook page and you'll have the chance to win $50 in produce. The market will be open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. all summer long. Learn more about Harry's here.  

Maggie Smith’s Irish Pub and Restaurant 6631 South Peoria Street in Centennial, will hold the first annual Maggie Smith’s Chili Cook Off today. The entry fee is $20, which goes to the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the 2164 Foundation. In addition to chili, you can enjoy free fire-truck tours and live music from the South Metro Fire Department Pipe Band; firefighters from the South Metro Fire Department will act as special guest servers and “pass the boot” for charity. For more information, contact Maggie Smith's at 303-999-2010.

Dazzle will be celebrating all things small-batch during its Small Batch Sessions event starting at 7 p.m. today. There will be small-batch beer, small-batch musicians, giveaways and more, as well as $3 Fort Collins Brewing drafts (Major Tom’s and Shot Down). Tickets range from $12 to $17; for more information, contact Dazzle at 303-839-5100.  

Hanger 2, the Lowry neighborhood collective restaurant and retail space, is hosting a "Hang Loose" summer kick-off patio party from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. There will be live music from noon to 6 p.m.; many of the restaurants and businesses in the Hanger will open their patios and offer specials, samples and more. For more information, including a list of specials, check out the event's Facebook page. 

The Vail Farmers' Market is launching the second season of its Farm-to-Table Dinner Series today with a dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring special guest chefs Carlos Zamora Larios and Donnie Masterton from Vail’s sister city, San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. They'll be cooking alongside executive chef Shawn Miller from Terra Bistro and executive chef Julian Smith from bôl. Tickets for each Farm-to-Table Dinner are $95; they're all held on West Meadow Drive in Vail Village. Get tickets and learn more at vailfarmersmarket.com. 

Make a splash at the Greenway Foundation’s signature event, the free South Platte RiverFest, today and tomorrow at Confluence Park. The two-day event will feature something for everyone, with stand-up paddle boarding lessons and demos, a variety of water and river activities, a rock-climbing wall, entertainment for the kids, live music, food, drinks and more. The fun runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow. For more information, click here.  

The Denver Taco Festival will take over the Glitter Dome today. The third year of the taco festival will bring together tacos, music, dancing, tequila, margaritas, chihuahua races, Lucha Libre wrestling, hot-pepper-eating contests and more for a day of culture and culinary excitement. You can join in on the fun today and tomorrow, starting at noon. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and $60 for VIP. Buy tickets and get all the tasty details at denvertacofestival.com.       

Stills in the Hills will bring over thirty craft distilleries to the streets of Central City today. You can sip spirits while enjoying live music, vendors, food, a Model-T car show and maybe even a little gambling. The event is free to attend, but tasting tickets are $30 in advance, $40 at the gate and $50 for VIP. The spirits will be flowing from 1 to 6 p.m. today; grab tickets and more info at stillsinthehills.com.     

The Applejack Brewdown and Block Party will be serving up unlimited beer tastings from 25 different breweries with sides of lawn games, live music and food. The whole thing goes down at Applejack Wine & Spirits from 1 to 4 p.m. today. Tickets, which include unlimited tastings, two full pours and a $10 coupon for Applejack, are $32 per person; a portion of the proceeds will benefit the West Metro Fire Rescue Foundation. Find tickets and more information here.

The Denver Flea is hopping into Exdo Event Center with its Summer Market. You can find vendors, food trucks, plenty of adult beverages and more, today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are just $5, which includes a complimentary beverage when you purchase yours online at denverflea.com.

Uncorked Kitchen's 21 for Everyone, an ongoing series of walk-around wine-tasting events, will host the Fromagerie Festival from 4 to 6 p.m. today. Attendees will taste a variety of wines from around the globe, paired with twelve cheeses. The cost is $36; register for the tasting and learn more here.

The Jun in June Festival will take place at Everitt Farms, 9400 West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood, from noon to 6 p.m. today.  Jun in June celebrates honey, sustainable living, urban farming and gardening; there will also be live music, beekeeping and brewing demonstrations, organic food and snacks and more. Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at the door, and can be purchased here.  

Chef Frank Bonanno will lead a course on the essential techniques of cooking and preparing a lobster roll at Russell's Smokehouse today. Class will be in session starting at 4 p.m. and will be followed by a four-course dinner complete with beer and wine pairings. You get the class and dinner for $150 (gratuity not included); contact Liza Zimmerman at 720-737-4277 or [email protected] to make a reservation.

Meet in the Street, which takes place all along the 16th Street Mall this weekend, offers you a chance to "re-imagine the Mall by experiencing it in new and exciting ways." Look for ten expanded patio cafes, fitness classes, arts and cultural programming, live music and more. Find additional details at downtowndenver.com. 

Parry's Pizza is holding its Fifth Annual Big Ass Tap Takeover today. Each location of Parry's will tap between fifteen and thirty different Avery kegs, and there will also be a few of Avery’s rare bottle releases on hand. Visit parryspizza.com for the full scoop. 

Sunday, June 26 

KOSI 101.1 presents classic films and tasty brunch offerings twice a month at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema; today the theater will screen Miss Congeniality at 11 a.m. Tickets are $40 and include brunch, a cocktail and exclusive shopping deals at Aspen Grove. Get tickets at drafthouse.com. 

Bombay Clay Oven has partnered with Devote Yoga to celebrate International Yoga Day with “Namaste and Naan" today. Whether you're a yoga pro or a newbie, you can join Morgan Schoob, founder of Devote Yoga, for a 45-minute al fresco yoga class on Bombay Clay Oven’s outdoor patio starting at 10 a.m. After class, you can dig into Bombay’s weekend brunch buffet. Just $18 covers the class and the buffet. Call 303-377-4454 to save your spot.  

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].