Twelve Tastiest Events on Denver's Culinary Calendar, April 18-21

Denver's annual stoner holiday, 4/20, rolls into town this week — bringing with it a grab bag of events and clouds of smoke. Whether you're planning on participating in the festivities or just catching a contact high, you can cure your munchies at numerous culinary events. And for those of you who are more givers than tokers, Carmine’s on Penn is in the midst of its Nonprofit Event Giveaway: By April 30, nominate your favorite local nonprofit to win a family-style, wine-pairing dinner at Carmine’s, which it can use to benefit its cause; find the details here.  Keep reading for other ways to do good while eating well, as well as more tasty activities on this week's culinary calendar.

Monday, April 18 

The Frasca Food and Wine team has collaborated with Rome-based food educator and journalist Katie Parla to create a menu of of Roman-inspired food. Reservations are available from 5 p.m. onward for $125 per person; the price includes the meal, wine pairings and a signed copy of Parla's cookbook, Tasting Rome. Call Frasca at 303-442-6966.

Tuesday, April 19 

From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, participating Denver Chipotle locations will donate 50 percent of sales to the Denver Dumb Friends League. Just mention the Denver Dumb Friends League to your cashier when you pay for your food. For more information, visit chipotle.com.  

The Post Brewing Co. is holding a Spring Harvest Beer Dinner starting at 6 p.m. today. Produce from Isabelle Farm and Oxford Gardens will be crafted into a three-course menu paired with Post Brewing beers. The dinner is $40; for more information, call The Post at 303-593-2066.

Winemaker Jerry Sass will be the guest at Root Down's Biodynamic Winemakers Dinner. Starting at 7:30 p.m., you'll get four-course dinner, paired with Sass wines, for $75. For reservations, call the restaurant at 303-993-4200.    

Keep reading for more culinary events this week.
Wednesday, April 20 

Baur's Restaurant and Listening Lounge's fine-art program kicks off today, with a show by Denver artist Adam Buehler that will be up through mid-August. From 4 to 6 p.m., the restaurant will serve sips and snacks at a free reception; Buehler will be on hand, and returning Thursday through Saturday to paint live. Get all the details at baursrestaurant.com.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and today, Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club will launch a multi-course Renditions menu inspired by iconic jazz artist Charlie “Bird” Parker. At 7:30 p.m., saxophonist Will Swindler will play a selection of Parker’s songs and chef Greg Weadick and owner/sommelier Scott Mattson will discuss the creation of the menu. Seats at the event are $55, and wine and cocktail pairings are available for an additional cost. Make your reservations and learn more here.

Firenze a Tavola is holding a wine dinner featuring Italian Rosati wines at 6:30 p.m.  The four-course meal will be paired with four Italian roses. For reservations, $58, call the restaurant at 303-561-0234. 

Thursday, April 21

From 5 to 7 p.m., Lucky Pie will designate a portion of proceeds to the Red Cross during Red Cross Giving Day. For more information, visit redcross.org.  

The Dairy Arts Center is holding the fourth annual Moovers and Shakers Cocktail Competition starting at 5:30 p.m. today.  Some of Boulder's best mixologists, from Basta, Blackbelly, Frasca, Mateo, Oak at Fourteenth and Riffs, will be competing to make an original cocktail featuring Colorado-based Leopold's American Small Batch Gin. Guests will receive a souvenir glass, cocktail samples and small paired bites, and can vote for their favorite cocktail. Tickets are $60 in advance and $65 at the door; purchase yours and learn more here. Proceeds benefit the Dairy Center.  

Lovers of craft beer and ice cream alike can dig into Fort Collins Brewing's first installment of Brew Kitchen, a monthly food-and-beer-themed education series at the brewery. The Little Man team will lead a discussion about the art of making ice cream with beer, and guests will be able to sample FCB beer-inspired creations during different stages of the freezing process as FCB's Red Banshee, Shot Down Chocolate Stout, Major Tom’s Pomegranate Wheat and Hefeweizen are incorporated into handcrafted ice creams. You can even build your own ice cream sandwiches. The event starts at 6 p.m., and tickets are $35; make a reservation by calling 970-472-1499. 

Friday, April 22 

Today is Earth Day, and Jill's Restaurant at the St. Julien in Boulder will be celebrating by serving up a multi-course vegan dinner for $49.95. The six-course menu includes spring-carrot consommé with toasted chickpeas and sugar snap peas; spring-vegetable succotash, with fiddlehead ferns, asparagus and morel mushrooms; roasted Colorado beets with peanuts, coconut curry and pickled onion; celery sorbet with crystallized fennel and candied orange; open mushroom ravioli with saffron potato “pasta,” toasted sesame and eggplant ragout; and Key lime pie with coconut crémeux and raspberry coulis. For reservations, contact the restaurant at 720-406-7399.

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].