From Beer to Broncos, Fifteen Tastiest Events on the Culinary Calendar

The Broncos will be at Sports Authority Field on Saturday, taking on the San Francisco 49ers during the first home game of the preseason. The streets will run orange, and even Panda Express will be bringing a little orange to the table. The chain is celebrating its famous Orange Chicken with a food-truck tour; the truck will be handing out free samples at the corner of West 17th Avenue and Federal Boulevard from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, before the Broncos kickoff at 7 p.m. And there is plenty more going on around Denver this weekend; keep reading for all the tasty details.   

Friday, August 28

Go back to the Roaring '20s at a Gatsby-themed event to benefit Make-A-Wish Colorado tonight: Whiskey, Wine and Wishes will feature food, silent and live auctions, dancing, music from Soul School, and local wines, whiskeys and signature drinks from Williams & Graham, InVINtions, Blanchard Family Wines, Vapor Distilleries, Mile Hi Spirits and Laws Whiskey House. The evening will kick off at 6 p.m. at the Seawell Ballroom with cocktails and a silent auction, followed at 7:45 by a live auction and a program at 8 p.m. Tickets for the gala are $100; pick yours up at colorado.wish.org.  

The Landmark Esquire Theater will be screening the new film Steak (R)evolution starting today. In a search for the best steak in the world, director Franck Ribiere leads viewers through exclusive conversations with chefs, farmers, butchers, steakhouse owners, journalists and experts about the many variables that affect the quality of our meat. The film will run through September 3; for more information, click here. 

Oktober comes to town a little early this year. The Southlands Oktoberfest runs all weekend at the Southlands Shopping Center. The family-friendly festival will feature German fare, live music, kids' activities, beer, wine, a raffle and more. You can get a taste of Oktober from 5 p.m. to midnight today, from noon to midnight Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. For more information, click here.

Saturday, August 29 

Copper Mountain will be transformed into a kind of boozy circus this weekend for the Colorado Cider and Beer Circus. This big top will house over 75 craft ciders and beers, live music, circus entertainers and more. Tickets to the circus are $40 for general admission and $60 for the VIP experience, which will get you early access, special tappings and cheese pairings. Grab your tickets and learn more at cidercircus.com. 

Tindakan along with City O' City and Nooch vegan market are putting on Food for Some today at Deer Pile. The social experiment is intended to raise awareness of food inequity in our communities and what we can do to help solve this issue. Attendees will randomly select a “class status” ticket that will determine one's wealth, and they'll be fed accordingly. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. and tickets are $40. Learn more and save your spot at tindakan.org.

Food Rescue Ride, a bicycle benefit for Denver Food Rescue, will take place today at Cherry Creek State Park. Participants will dress as their favorite fruit or vegetable and cruise a 15-, 30- or 60-mile ride option. Riders will reconvene in the park for a party with food, drinks, prizes, games and activities for the entire family. In addition to breakfast and lunch, every rider will receive bicycle-blended smoothies, a Food Rescue Ride T-shirt, water bottle, gift bag, local beer (for riders over 21), a complimentary massage and lots of chances to win prizes like a cruiser bike or kid’s bike. Competitions for prizes include highest fundraiser, best individual and team costume, slow-race competition, and DFR trailer-pull competition. Get all the details and register for the ride here. 

Charcoal is throwing a traditional Swedish crayfish boil and buffet today, a nod to Chef Patrik Landberg's home town of Stockholm and the kraftskiva, end-of-summer celebrations they threw there. The crayfish buffet is $30 or you can go with the Swedish appetizer and dishes buffet for $20. The buffet will be open from 5 p.m. to close. Check out the menu and make reservations here.   

Etai's in Stapleton is celebrating its ten-year anniversary today and tomorrow by throwing a party. The celebration will include giveaways and activities for the kids, plus complimentary food and free beer (from Crazy Mountain Brewing Company) and other surprises. Check out all the info at etaiscafe.com. 

The 10th Annual Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival rolls into Breckenridge today, bringing over 55 breweries for tastings, live music, a VIP area and food and retail vendors. It's all taking place under the sun at Beaver Run Resort, where the festival runs from 1 to 6 p.m. Tckets are $35, or $85 for VIP. Get all the details and pick up your tickets here. 

Today you can help kick cancer's ass while throwing back a few pints during Bar Crawlin' for Cancer. The bar crawl, which runs down Broadway from 2 to 6 p.m. today, will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Locations include the Irish Rover, Baere Brewing and Dougherty's Pub. Registration is $20 here. 

Today Wine & Whiskers will benefit Rocky Mountain Feline Rescue, a non-profit, no-kill cat shelter saving the lives of hundreds of cats each year. Stop by Bonacquisti Wine Company from 6:30 to 9 p.m. for appetizers, wine, live music and a silent auction. Grab your tickets for $50 at rmfr-colorado.org. 

Sunday, August 30


Beast + Bottle will be getting down in celebration of 50 Years of the Rolling Stones.  In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the band's release of "Satisfaction," the restaurant will be serving up a music-inspired, four-course dinner that will incorporate the Beast + Bottle team's love for classic albums with their passion for locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. Each dish will pay homage to a specific track from the Rolling Stones. You can get some satisfaction at the themed dinner for $56 per person. For reservations, call 303-623-3223. 

The Bagel Store and Freestyle Pizza at 4668 South Yosemite Street in Greenwood Village are merging to create a new dual concept, fast-casual restaurant in Greenwood Village, and the restaurant is throwing a grand re-opening party today and tomorrow. The newly named Bagel Store Deli will be offering free giveaways throughout the two days, and featuring a variety of other activities to celebrate the new concept. Ten percent all sales from today and tomorrow will go to the Cherry Creek Schools Foundation to support the classroom grants program. For more on the new concept and the grand opening party, check out the Bagel Store Deli site.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. you can help Euro Crepes celebrate its grand opening. The party will be rocking with live music, shopping, mimosas and crepes, of course.Find out more on the Euro Crepes Facebook page. 

Dog Days of Summer Bluegrass Festival is an all-day affair focusing on the celebration of music, art, the local community and, most important, our four-legged friends. The bands will be pickin' and the dogs will be lickin' at the Watering Bowl starting at 1 p.m. today. There will be music, vendors, art, a raffle and $4 moonshine specials. You can get raffle tickets 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].