If you're dreading Thanksgiving or obsessing over the proper size of stuffing cubes, Denver's culinary calendar has a way to manage your stress. An evening of pancakes, art and music will distract you from pending family arguments, or you can tuck into unlimited oysters, beers and po' boys. The holiday market season is gearing up, too, so after you've had some sustenance, don't forget to grab local delicacies for the Thanksgiving table. Here are the ten tastiest events this weekend:
Friday, November 18
Once the enfant terrible of American food writers, Anthony Bourdain has mellowed since he got married and became a father. Or has he? The author and chef will reflect on his travels — which have turned exotic stops into an endless all-you-can-eat buffet — opine on what he loves and hates about the restaurant world, and share thoughts from his new book, Appetites, at 8 p.m. Friday, November 18, at the Bellco Theatre, 700 14th Street. Get tickets, $60 to $330, here.
For some people, pancakes, alcohol and body painting are just Friday breakfast. For the rest of us, there's the Pancakes and Booze Art Show, returning to City Hall tonight. The nationwide pop-up event is a tipsy, DIY-style festival of underground art and music, fueled by free pancakes. Take in the works of over 100 artists from Denver and beyond, plus live music, multimedia installations and body-painting demos. The party starts at 8 p.m. and goes until 2 a.m., and just $5 at the door gets you in.
Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse in Greenwood Village knows how to appreciate the finer things in life, and it's celebrating the season with a Macallan Holiday Cigar Dinner tonight. Tuck in to a three-course dinner with Macallan Scotch pairings and a pair of cigars to enjoy — and, yes, you can expect a nice steak. The cost is $150 per person, Scotch included; call Del's at 303-796-0100 to snag your reservation.
Keep reading for more events happening this weekend.
Saturday, November 19
Do you have Dale in a can? Well, Oskar Blues does, and it's letting him out tonight for the 14th CANiversary of Dale's Pale Ale. The original Oskar Blues in Lyons is hosting a beer extravaganza with a full regiment of old and new OB brews, Cajun eats and local music from In the Whale and Interstate Stash Express, plus a silent disco running all night long. Tickets are $10 on the Oskar Blues Eventbrite site.
Give the gift of food — or jewelry, or papercraft — from the new Holiday Makers Market at Backyard on Blake this weekend. The community development is partnering with charity The Delores Project and local artisans to sell tasty treats and handmade goods for the holiday season. Beans from Roostercat Coffee, chocolate from Cultura Craft, vegan cheese sauce from The Honest Stand and a whole lot more will be for sale, and Dave Tamkin will be playing tunes throughout. Admission is free and the drinks will be flowing from 1 to 6 p.m. today; get more details at the Market's Facebook event page.
Rhein Haus is marking its first year of brats, beers and bocce in LoDo with an anniversary bash. Party favors include $1 half-liters of lager, free birthday cake, music by the Rhinelanders Band, and a raffle with prizes like a Breckenridge Brewery-branded snowboard, a Thanksgiving turkey, housemade sausages and more. The party is going on from 5 to 8 p.m., and everyone's invited until the beer runs dry.
It's called the Denver Beer & Music Festival — what more do you need to know? Well, for starters, tonight's bash at City Hall promises more than fifty beverages from local brewers big and small, from Little Machine to Great Divide. Food and music from Blink-180True and DJ EMFH will also be flowing throughout. Doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets run $35 for unlimited tastings or $50 for VIP and early entry.
Allegro Coffee Roasters' flagship coffee shop on Tennyson Street is celebrating a year in Berkeley with a community cupping, local artisans showing their wares, and some tasty affogatos with Sweet Action ice cream. The party starts with a tasting session with Roastmaster Nathan Fulton at 9 and 11 a.m., and ends with an invite-only happy hour with music by Bethel Steele from 6-8 p.m. The festivities are free; RSVP for your tasting session here.
Sunday, November 20
Eat, drink and get ready for Turkey Day at the Thanksgiving market that's as rewarding for gifters as it will be for giftees. The Source and Slow Food Denver's final farmers' market of the season offers a cornucopia of local options to line your Thanksgiving table, like heritage-breed poultry from Western Daughters, bread from Babettes', floral centerpieces by Beet & Yarrow, and beers from Crooked Stave for quaffing or gifting. Plus, Acorn chef Bill Espiricueta will set out a pop-up barbecue lunch starting at 11 a.m. Admission to the Harvest Market and all of the Source's vendors is free, and the event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The purveyors of fancy sea treats at The Oceanaire return with the Second Annual Oyster Bash, giving you unlimited access to fresh oysters from both coasts, hors d’oeuvre like lobster rolls, crab cakes, sushi and tacos, plus wines, spirits and craft beers from Oskar Blues and New Belgium. Embrace the gluttony from 3 to 8 p.m. today, to the blues soundtrack of the Brian Hornbuckle Band. Tickets are $75 per person ($85 with fees & tax); get yours at the Oceanaire's Eventbrite site.
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].