The Ten Tastiest Events on Denver's Culinary Calendar, August 26-28

Have you purchased your tickets to DISH, Westword's annual celebration of the Denver dining scene? More than forty of our favorite restaurants will be at Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex serving tasty bites; there will also be beverage samples from our beer sponsor, Stella Artois, and a special corner dedicated to some of the city's finest barbecue. If you haven't, don't worry: The event isn't until Sunday, September 25, so you still have time. But ticket prices go up from $40 to $45 at 10 a.m. today  — so buy tickets now and save a few bucks.  VIP tickets, which are currently $75, increase to $85 at 10 a.m.; get your tickets now at westworddish.com.

Whet your appetite for DISH at one of many tasty food and drink events being dished up in metro Denver this weekend, from a bagel breakfast pop-up at Il Porcellino to a home-brewers' rally at Dry Dock Brewing to a burlesque revival at an Irish pub.

Friday, August 26

Celebrate everything that's great about craft cider and beer at the base of Copper Mountain. The Colorado Cider & Beer Circus – sponsored by Gumption Cider – features more than 75 craft ciders and beers, with a headline performance by Big Sam’s Funky Nation and aerial arts by Fractal Tribe of Boulder. The two-day event kicks off today with the Circus Sunset 5K run at 6 p.m. and a Big Top Cheese Pairing at 6:30 p.m. Tickets, which can be purchased here, vary by event, with separate pricing for the run, the cheese pairing and tomorrow's open tasting. 

Soldiers' Angels, a San Antonio-based military and veterans' charity, is teaming up with the Denver VA Hospital and Food Bank of the Rockies for a hunger-relief program. A mobile food pantry will serve food to 200 at-risk, wounded and homeless Denver veterans and their families today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Denver VA Hospital parking lot at 1055 Clermont Street. Soldiers' Angels has an online sign-up page for those who wish to receive a meal. Contact Food Bank of the Rockies for volunteer opportunities for this and other programs.  

Saturday, August 27

Il Porcellino Salumeria, at 4324 West 41st Avenue, is hosting Forbidden Love, a breakfast-sandwich pop-up with Rosenberg's Bagels. Breakfast will be served from 7 to 10 a.m. (or until everything sells) and will include bagel sandwiches stacked with farm-fresh eggs and your choice of applewood bacon, breakfast sausage or Il Porcellino's version of Taylor Pork Roll. Il Porcellino recommends arriving early, because the sandwiches are expected to sell out quickly.

Plein-air artists (those who paint outdoors) are invited to attend the Paint the downTown event at Baur’s Restaurant and Listening Lounge today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Artists can bring their supplies and canvases to paint outdoors — or inside Baur's — and the public is also welcome to come and observe the artists at work. Then, on August 30, a pop-up gallery will be held to sell the paintings from 6 to 8 p.m. 

The Source, 3350 Brighton Boulevard, welcomes Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal for an evening of cocktails, spirit tastings, authentic Oaxacan cuisine and raw bar bites from chef Theo Adley at the RiNo Yacht Club, the Source's center bar, from 7 to 9 p.m. Mezcal expert Evan Meeker will guide guests through tastings of the producer’s rarest expressions, while RiNo Yacht Club beverage director McLain Hedges will mix cocktails with Del Maguey Vida. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased on the event's Eventbrite page. 
 
The Boulder-based American Homebrewers Association will host a rally today at Dry Dock Brewing Co.  to give home brewers the chance to check out a local brewery and connect with other beer enthusiasts and home brewers. Participants will take a VIP brewery tour, meet Dry Dock brewers and staff, enjoy beer samples and get a chance to win prizes. Plus, all attendees will receive a Rally-exclusive gift from the AHA. The event runs from 1 to 4 p..m. at Dry Dock's South Dock tap room and brewery, at 15120 East Hampden Avenue in Aurora. Current AHA members can attend for free; non-members can join online or sign up for a discounted member rate at the Rally. RSVP for the event here.

Burlesque returns to the building that now houses the Irish Snug at 1201 East Colfax Avenue tonight from 8 to 11 p.m. Sid King's Burlesque Revival will offer an evening of classic burlesque with Vivienne VaVoom and Burlesque As It Was. The $35 ticket includes a three-course meal, two cocktails and an intimate show with some of Denver's best burlesque performers. Stop by the Snug or call 303-839-1394 to purchase tickets.

Sunday August 28
The former home of Le Central, at 112 East Eighth Avenue, will soon become a new restaurant and wine bar called Clyde. While the opening date is still a couple of months away, artist and ramen guru Andrew Novick is creating a ramen pop-up in the space tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance (there will be no tickets sold at the door), but they're only $10 each and can be purchased at Novick's I Save Everything website.  That ten-spot will get you tastes of green-chile ramen and peach-cobbler dessert ramen; you can also meet the new proprietors of Clyde, who will have a cash bar available.

Enjoy one of the last days of summer while pigging out at Vesper Lounge, 233 East Seventh Avenue. Frank Bonnano’s neighborhood bar is roasting two whole pigs and and mixing up cocktails featuring Parce Rum tonight beginning at 4 p.m. A plate of pork with coconut rice and pineapple slaw will set you back $10. Enjoy live music along with your roast pig and rum cocktails.

The Tavern Littleton, 2589 West Main Street, winds down its Sunday summer rooftop movie series with a screening of Dirty Dancing. The movie is free, as is the popcorn, and there will also be drink specials. Call the restaurant at 303-730-7772 for details and movie start times.