Ten Tastiest Events on Denver's Culinary Calendar, April 1-3

Goodbye March, hello April. Denver is slowly inching closer to summer, and while that means longer days, warmer weather and grilling season, it also means the end of ski season; several events this weekend will help ween you off the white stuff.  

April is also Autism Awareness Month, and Illegal Pete's is helping to raise money and awareness for families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders throughout the month. All you have to do to help is order your burrito smothered in goodness. For every smothered burrito sold in the April, Pete's will donate $1 to the Joshua School. To learn more about this deal and the Joshua School, visit illegalpetes.com.

Now that you know how to get April off to a good start (good food for a good cause), keep reading for ten tasty events this weekend.     

Friday, April 1 

Dancer and choreographer Gwendolyn Gussman presents Nourishment, a multi-sensory performance that will take over the Fleming Mansion today through April 3.  The evening aims to entice all five senses through dance, live music, visual arts, food (including chocolate) and drinks, and more, while guests — along with performers — tackle the question: What does it feel like to fall in love? This is the first in a series of site-specific installments to be hosted around the country. Tickets are $75 or $50 for students; grab yours and learn more here.  

Taste of Vail, which got under way on Wednesday, will continue to serve up wine dinners, seminars, signature events, a remedy brunch and more in the Eagle Valley this weekend; the culinary extravaganza runs through Sunday. For tickets and more information, visit tasteofvail.com.

Black Sheep Friday's at MCA Denver is your chance to let your freak flag fly. Things get weird tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. as participants partake in the decoration of "Drake Cakes," cakes with the Canadian rapper''s face on them.  Admission is $5; for more information check out mcadenver.org.

Keep reading for more tasty events this weekend.

Saturday, April 2  
The Boulder County Farmers' Market — once again the best in metro Denver — blossoms out of hibernation today, kicking off the 2016 season. The farmers' market, which runs until November 19, offers locally grown produce, food products, art and more to guests every Saturday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more information, check out bcfm.org, and look for a Union Station Farmers' Market to pop up this summer.

The People's Choice Tasting for the Denver International Beer Competition (DIBC), will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield. You can taste your choice of over 150 beers from the DIBC, and vote for favorite beers to decide the People's Choice Awards. There will also be light snacks and appetizers. Tickets to the tasting are $35 per person and can be purchased here. 

Stoic & Genuine will continue the restaurant's School of Fish cooking class series from 10 a.m. to noon today, when the focus will be on halibut and other flat fish. Led by Chef Jorel Pierce, the class will teach classic and modern techniques to create top-notch seafood dishes at home.  During the series, which extends to December, Pierce will focus on a different type of seafood on the first Saturday of each month. Tuition is $60 per class; for more information, visit stoicandgenuine.com. For reservations, e-mail [email protected].

The Rotary Club of Five Points Cultural District will take you back in time today, at the first ever 80s-themed indoor food truck event, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Glitter Dome Event Center. The event will feature food trucks, music, craft drinks and crafts. Admission is free; proceeds from food and beverage sales benefit the Shots for Tots and Teens clinic, the Books for Nooks literacy program, RAFT Colorado and dozens of other nonprofits in the area. For more information, check out the event's Facebook page. 

The New Belgium Mountain Adventure rolls into Loveland Ski Area from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. Teams of up to four can gear up in their finest costumed attire, and take to the slopes in search of a mountain of clues, both roving and stationary, all to benefit the local non-profit Alliance for Sustainable Colorado. The mountain-wide scavenger hunt is $10 per person plus the price of a lift ticket. Early registration and check-in begins at 9 a.m., and the fun will commence at 10. To register or find out more about the event, check out newbelgium.com.   

Sunday, April 3  

In celebration of Buttermilk Mountain’s closing day, the mountain will host its annual Bacon Appreciation Day, featuring a full day of pigging out including bacon waffles at the summit in the morning, bacon samplers around the mountain throughout the day, kid’s games in the base area and more. For all the juicy details, click here. 

Ophelia's Electric Soapbox is serving up brunch with a side of La Pompe Jazz today.  For reservations and more information, call 303-993-8023. 
 
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].