Twenty Tastiest Events on Denver's Culinary Calendar for September 23-25

DISH, Westword's annual celebration of the Denver dining scene, will be dishing up food and fun in Sculpture Park on Sunday. But there are plenty of other events around town where you can whet your appetite for the main course, from Oktoberfest parties to the big DSTILL showcase. Keep reading for all the delicious details.

Friday, September 23 

Fort Collins Brewery will be celebrating all things German at its Modern Tavern today, starting at 4 p.m. Keep your hunger at bay with Bavarian pretzels, beer-boiled brats, sauerbraten or German chocolate cake, and wash everything down with FCB's award-winning Oktoberfest beer. There will also be a costume contest, stein-holding contest and Oktoberfest trivia. The event is free; get all the details here. 

Longmont Oktoberfest takes over Roosevelt Park from 4 to 10 p.m. today, and tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. The German-inspired festival will serve up German fare, beer from ten local breweries, music from twelve bands with headliner the Wailers, and more. Tickets are $5 a day, or $90 for a two-day VIP pass; grab yours and get the full scoop here.  

See what Vintage at the Hanger has to offer during a special sneak-peek event from 5 to 9 p.m. this evening. For $15, you can be the first to browse though art, antiques, furniture, pop-culture items, vintage jewelry and more while enjoying light appetizers and refreshments. Tickets to tonight's preview are $15 and can be purchased here. Vintage at the Hanger will be at Wings of the Rockies Air and Space Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. Find more details here.

In its 47th year, Denver's Oktoberfest brightens up the Ballpark neighborhood with beer, brats, music, dancing, the World Championships of Stein Hoisting and more. Get a taste of Germany in Denver from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. today, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission to the festival is free, but you can purchase steins and VIP tickets in advance; find all the details at thedenveroktoberfest.com.

DSTILL, a celebration of American craft spirits, will hold its signature tasting event, The Showcase, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the History Colorado Center today. For $50, you can sample spirits from some of America’s top artisan distillers and sip handcrafted cocktails mixed up by the Colorado Bartenders Guild. Grab tickets and learn more here.

Feral Mountain Co. is holding a Friday Night Porch Jam and Potluck from 5 to 8 p.m. this evening. There will be live music, dancing, grilling, giveaways and more. Bring a side dish or snack to share, and you'll get 20 percent off one full-price item from the store. Feral Mountain will be providing the grillables; learn more at feralmountainco.com. 

Keep reading for more events on this weekend's culinary calendar.

Saturday, September 24

The Stanley Marketplace is holding a job fair from 1 to 4 p.m. today. More than fifteen Stanley businesses will be trying to fill a variety of positions in retail, restaurants and more. The event is free, but registration is required; click here to register and learn more.  

SausageFest: An Oktoberfest Celebration continues its two-weekend stint at Globe Hall today, when you can rock out to music from the Polkanauts and Lederhosers starting at 7 p.m. Your $10 ticket includes one Prost beer and one smoked German-style sausage; kids under twelve get in free and get one free sausage per child. Get tickets and all the juicy details here.  

The Rotary Club of Five Points Cultural District will be hosting a family-friendly fall food-truck fundraiser at Black Shirt Brewing today, with beer, games, music and more. The food-truck fiesta, which runs from 4 to 9 p.m., is free, but there is a suggested donation of $2. All proceeds from food and beverage purchases will benefit schools and youth programs in northeast Denver. Check out the event's Facebook page for more information.

Evergreen is looking to break the world record for the world's longest picnic table today, and you can help. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Buchanan Park, you can make your mark on history as you enjoy food, drinks and entertainment while attempting to crush the current record of 638 feet and 9.35 inches. General admission tickets are $10 and can be purchased here. Proceeds will support local nonprofits that help feed the foothills communities.  

Learn to make your fall harvest last longer during a Food Preservation Boot Camp at the Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms today. The course, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon, will focus on preserving through food dehydration. Tuition is $56, or $51 for Gardens members, and includes recipes, take-home items and tasting samples. Register and learn more at botanicgardens.org. 

The HOOTenanny Owl & Bluegrass Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the Audubon Nature Center at Chatfield, 11280 Waterton Road in Littleton. Tickets are $10 adult, $8 per child (up to twelve), with discounts for Audubon Society of Greater Denver members. The festivities will be followed by a Hood N' Holler After Party at the Breckenridge Brewery's Farm House Restaurant, 2990 Brewery Lane in Littleton, where you can get a complimentary beer with your fest ticket. Get tickets at denveraudubon.org or call 303-973-9530. 

Brewer's Alley, hosted by Rialto Cafe, will bring local craft beer, food and a pop-up farmers' market to the 16th Street Mall today. The event runs from 4 to 8 p.m., and tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. You can find tickets and more information here. 

Little Man Ice Cream is hosting a One World Celebration from 4 to 9 p.m. today. Come celebrate with international foods, global entertainment, an artisan marketplace, discussions and a film. The event benefits Little Man's philanthropic Scoop-for-Scoop program. One World is free to attend, but you are encouraged to bring a $1 donation or a can of food for Bienvenidos Food Bank. Check the event's Facebook page for more information. 

The GlitterDome Events Center will be taken over by Punk Rock Pie Wars today and tomorrow. Fill your weekend with punk rock, pizza, beer and bourbon as local pie slingers compete to be crowned as the “Denver Punk Rock Pizza Supreme." Get in on the action from noon to 9 p.m. today, and noon to 7 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets are $11.50 for general admission today, and $5.50 for GA tomorrow. There will also be a bourbon expo each day, with $20 tickets sold separately. Grab tickets and learn more at punkrockpiewars.com.  

Peak to Peak Tap Room is celebrating Oktoberfest today with a stein-hoisting contest, a Bavarian food menu, special pricing on Oktoberfest flights, games and more. Your $15 ticket gets you a commemorative 20-ounce Oktoberfest stein and fill, plus participation in the hoisting contest. The party runs from noon to 11 p.m.; click here for the full scoop.

The Bar Car kitchen was recently taken over by Swine Emporium, the brainchild of Norm Schryver from 9pan Catering. Today Swine Emporium will hold its official grand opening from noon to midnight, cranking out barbecue specials all day. Call 720-524-8099 for more information. 

Distinctly Colorado: a Farm to Table Experience, a fundraiser for Sense of Security, will serve up Colorado-raised and -grown foods, crafted spirits and brews from 5 to 9 p.m. tonight at Four Mile Historic Park. Tickets range from $89 to $150; get them here.

Sunday, September 25 

DISH, Westword's 22nd annual celebration of the Denver dining scene, takes over Sculpture Park at the Performing Arts Complex from 11 to 3:30 p.m. today. You can sink your teeth into samples from over forty of Denver's best restaurants, sip beverage samples from sponsor Stella Artois and other sponsors, and indulge in the new smokin' area dedicated to barbecue. Get tickets and all the details at westworddish.com. 

Today is National Lobster Day, and The Palm is celebrating by offering jumbo Nova Scotia lobster tails, served with fresh lemon and melted butter, for $49 each. The special is only available today. For reservations and more information,call the restaurant at 303-825-7256. 

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].