The Seven Tastiest Events on the Culinary Calendar This Weekend

We're in the the thick of summer, and that means outdoor events galore. This weekend, sate your appetite at festivals highlighting Orthodox food, craft beer and high-end bites, more craft beer (of course) and a picnic. Can't stand the heat? Don't worry — you can still get in on the action with yoga, Vietnamese sandwiches and wine dinners (all indoors). Here are some of the best food and drink events in town for July 14 through July 16. (And don't forget that Slow Food Nations is in Denver this weekend, too; see our list of Slow Food Nations-related events here.)
Friday, July 14
One of our favorite Vietnamese bakeries in town, Vinh Xuong, is movin' on up to the (north)east side, as we reported earlier this week. But in the meantime, fans of the bakery's banh mi who don't want to go to the west side (shame on you, by the way) can pick up a selection of sandwiches at Vinh Xuong's pop-up at The Source, 3350 Brighton Boulevard, on Friday, July 14. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or until sell-out, whichever is earlier), diners can grab pork, chicken or spicy tofu banh mi with all the fixings. Sadly, neither the combination banh mi nor the sesame balls — both of which have made our 100 Favorites list — will make an appearance. For that, you'll have to get a bit more adventurous and make a pilgrimage to 2370 West Alameda Avenue.

Saturday, July 15
Yoga, then beer: never fear. Never have truer words been spoken. Wander Yoga, a nomadic yoga studio, is setting up shop at Bruz Beers, 1675 West 67th Avenue, on Saturday, July 15. A free, all-levels class runs from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the brewery, and while the beer — sadly — isn't free, it will be available for purchase after class; kombucha will also be on tap for the healthier-than-thou types. While there's no cost for the event, space is limited to fifty yogis, and it's first come, first served. Reserve your spot at wanderyoga.org.

What do the Orthodox faith and the Globeville neighborhood have in common? History. Many of Globeville's earliest settlers, in the late 1800s, were factory workers from Eastern European countries with Orthodox populations, including Greece, Serbia, Russia and Romania. The food and culture of these countries and others will be celebrated at the Orthodox Food Festival & Globeville Days, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 15, at the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Cathedral, 349 East 47th Avenue. Watch the Balkanika Folk Dance Group (among many others) twirl while you snack on kebabs, cabbage rolls and rum baba. Admission is free, but tickets must be purchased for food and drinks (yes, there will be alcoholic beverages). There's even a happy hour! Buy $25 of food and drink tickets between 5 and 7 p.m. and you'll get an extra $5 worth for free. For menus, event listings and other details, go to globevilleorthodoxfoodfestival.org.

If you abhor ales but lust after lagers, here's the beer festival just for you: Wibby Brewing, 209 Emery Street in Longmont, is hosting Lagers for Lumber on Saturday, July 15. The lager-only beer bust will run from 4 to 8 p.m, with thirty breweries in attendance. Tickets range from $5 to $50, depending on age, drinking and VIP status, as well as your planning abilities (in advance or at the door), and the event is specifically dog- and kid-friendly. So round up the tribe and head over for bands, bobbing for hot dogs (not sure if that one's for your four- or two-legged kiddo), crafts, a pool and — of course — beer. Check out the Facebook page for all the participating breweries and info on ticket sales.

July is half over, but there are still three Saturdays left in the month, which is great news if you've always wanted to put together your own wine dinner. Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse, 8100 East Orchard Road in Greenwood Village, will let you do just that on July 15, July 22 and July 29. It's not cheap ($150 per person), but guests will inform the chef which area of the world they'd like to focus on, and the menu and wine pairings will be tailored to that region. So whether you love the Loire valley or thirst for Tuscan wines, you'll surely end up with a meal to remember.

Keep reading for more events this weekend.
Sunday, July 16
Brüfrou Fest returns for its fourth year on Sunday, July 16. The craft beer and bites festival is moving outside to the Tivoli Quad (just outside the Tivoli Student Union, 900 Auraria Parkway), but it still boasts over 75 food and beer pairings while adding beer cocktails, live music (six bands!), games and a marketplace this year. Brufrou.com has a comprehensive list of participating bands, restaurants and breweries, as well as a breakdown of the exceedingly confusing ticket prices. We're baffled, but the basics are that GA tickets range from $35 to $50+ and VIP tickets will set you back $95 to $145; purchase your tickets in advance for significant savings. Our advice? Put some serious thought into how much you can (and will) eat to get the best bang for your buck.

It's picnic season, and there's nothing more summery than a picnic with fun, food and games that also supports a good cause. And just your luck: Beyond Type 1 is hosting a Pop-Up Picnic on Sunday, July 16, from 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets are just $5 for kids and $10 for adults, and 100 percent of the proceeds will go to programming to advocate for people living with Type 1 diabetes and a search for a cure. Your ticket entitles you to a picnic meal, non-alcoholic drinks, and epic games and activities (yoga class, inflatable obstacle course and a bungee run, among others). Food trucks El Toro the Tot, Keenwah and Ba-nom-a-nom will be there for additional food purchases, and beverages of the adult persuasion will be on sale as well. The fun kicks off at Infinity Park at Glendale, 4599 East Tennessee Avenue. Get more info and your tickets at beyondtype1.org.

See the Westword calendar for even more food and drink events.