Next week is a short one, so there's no reason not to eat, drink and be merry all weekend. This is your last chance to get a taste of First Bite Boulder; dozens of restaurants are offering special, three-course menus for just $29 per person—some for even less — through Sunday. You can also sip and nosh your way through MMMmixer, Movember Stache Bash, a James Beard Foundation dinner, Thanksgiving cooking classes and more. Keep reading for all the tasty details.
Friday, November 20
MCA Denver will hold a special edition of the museum's Bartender in Residence program in celebration of Marilyn Minter's Pretty/Dirty exhibition. Guest bartender A. Minetta Gould of Ste. Ellie will be mixing up some pretty dirty cocktails on the museum's rooftop from 5 to 9 p.m. Admission is $5, free for museum members. For more information, visit mcadenver.org.
The team behind Bru Frou will be putting together more boozy pairings during MMMixer, featuring 33 mixologists and and chefs collaborating on unique cocktail and culinary pairings. Distilleries from across the state will bring their small batch whiskies, which will serve as the key ingredient in cocktails to be paired with food from Euclid Hall, Second Home, Butcher's Bistro and more. MMMixer will mix it up at Mile High Station from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight; tickets are $65 for a full-pairing ticket, or $45 for dining only. Find out more at mmmixer.com.
To raise awareness of men’s health issues, the second annual Movember Stache Bash at the Tavern Downtown will feature a DJ, games, a photo booth, prizes, an award for best mo, $5 Guinness specials and plenty of mustachioed gents and ladies (with faux-staches, we hope). The party will be rocking from 6 to 10 p.m. tonight, and there is no cover to attend. For more information, call the Tavern at 303-299-0100.
The Merchants of West Washington Park will present Beaujolais Nouveau Night from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. tonight on Historic Grant Avenue. The event will feature wine, hors d’oeuvres, live music, an auction and more. Funds raised will go to support neighborhood schools and community projects; tickets are $50 and can be purchased here.
A who's who of Denver's top chefs will be participating in a James Beard Foundation Dinner tonight at Devil's Thumb Ranch. Seven local chefs will put together a multi-course meal, and all proceeds from the dinner will go to support the James Beard Foundation. The dinner runs from 6 to 9 p.m., and tickets are $200 per person. Space is limited, so get your tickets here before they are gone. You can check out the evening's menu here.
Saturday, November 21
Today is your last chance to pick up fresh, local food at the Boulder and Longmont Farmers' markets. Both markets will close out their 2015 seasons today; learn more at bcfm.org.
The second edition of Green Russell's Winter Whiskey Series takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. today. The series gives you the opportunity to taste and learn the history of various whiskeys, and also to learn to mix up a few drinks with said spirits; international whiskeys are the focus this round. The course is $75 per person and includes five tastings, snacks and gratuity. To save your spot, call 303-893-9717.
The staff at Opus will be staying after hours tonight for Late Night at Opus. From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. you can sample small bites, enjoy free drinks from the bar, and dance to music by DJ Mario Dumont from Berlin. Tickets are $30; all proceeds will benefit The Kempe Foundation for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect. Find out more by calling 303-355-5853.
Sunday, November 22
Trinity Church's United Methodist Women will hold a bake sale from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m today at the Trinity Cafe, featuring homemade treats, Trinity ornaments and other small gift items. For more information, visit trinityumc.org.
Make sure you're prepared when your family asks you to bring a dish to Thanksgiving dinner. Stir Cooking School is offering a Thanksgiving Sides Workshop today at 5 p.m. that will teach you how to create classic sides like rolls, roasted carrots, green bean casserole, stuffing and more. The course is $75 per person; register at stirtolearn.com.
Beryl's Beer Company is holding a Chili Cook Off today at 11 a.m. Bring your best chili recipe and see how it stacks up to the competition. There are three categories you can enter: green chili, meat chili and vegetarian chili. One winner from each category will get a $10 bar tab, and the grand champion will get a $20 tab. If you're just interested in drinking beer and eating chili, head to Beryl's with one box of healthy, unopened cereal, which will be donated to Project Angel Heart. For more information, click here.
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].