← 2013 Pacific Northwest Brew Cup

What: Drink your fill of more than 36 regional beers while enjoying an array of food, family games, and majestic views of the mighty Columbia River. This three-day festival along Astoria’s historic waterfront will also feature live music from Portland, Pendleton, Astoria and Boise. 
When: Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29. Hours vary by day. 
Where: Barbey Maritime Center, 1792 Marine Dr., Astoria, Oregon
How Much: Free to attend. Tastings and souvenir glasses for purchase on site. Visit the event page for more information.

Harvest Market at Cristom Vineyards

What: Enjoy a flight of Cristom wine and sample products from Northwest growers, bakers, culinary specialists, and artists at this first annual pop-up market. A portion of the day’s wine sales will benefit iSalud!, a non-profit that provides healthcare access for Oregon's seasonal vineyard workers.
When: Saturday, September 28 from 11 am to 3 pm.
Where: Cristom Vineyards, 6905 NW Spring Valley Road in Salem
How Much: $15 includes a flight of wine, vendor samples, and a raffle ticket. To purchase tickets, call 503-375-3068 or email [email protected]

Hillsdale Paella Dinner

What: Break a state record by attending Oregon’s largest paella dinner. Guests can snack on tapas, fresh breads and wine as Chef Greg Schwab of Seasons & Regions prepares the paella in a 5-foot pan. (Vegan paella also available.) A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Neighborhood House’s food box program.
When: Saturday, September 28 from 6 to 9 pm.
Where: Fanno Creek Clinic Parking Lot, 2400 SW Vermont St.
How Much: $90 per person. Tickets and more information available here. 

A Sicilian Feast at Remedy Wine Bar

What: Spend the evening in Sicily with this four course meal at Remedy Wine Bar. Offered one night only, the menu features the rustic gastronomy of the Isle of Italy, including risotto cakes, braised pork shoulder, grilled almond cake, and Valle dell’Acate wine pairings.
When: Monday, September 30 from 5 to 8:30 pm.
Where: Remedy Wine Bar, 733 NW Everett St.
How Much: $35 for the meal and $25 for the optional Valle dell’Acate tasting flight. Reserve a table by calling 503-222-1449.

Help End Childhood Hunger at Irving Street Kitchen

What: Support efforts to end child hunger by attending this exclusive collaborative dinner. Irving Street Kitchen’s Chef Sarah Schafer will prepare the meal with four respected regional chefs, and guests will be able to view the kitchen via a live feed projected into the dining room. The event will also feature a musical performance by Rita Wilson and a cocktail reception, and proceeds will be donated to Share Our Strength, a non-profit working to end child hunger in America. 
When: Monday, September 30 from 6 to 9:30 pm.  
Where:  Irving Street Kitchen, 701 NW 13th Ave
How Much: $250 per person, with tables available for four and eight. Buy tickets online or by calling 415-326-3767. 

Sauvie Island Center’s Farm to City Benefit

What: Eat your way through the Sauvie Island Center’s education curriculum at this kick off event for National Farm to School Month. Each farm-fresh appetizer is assembled by local chefs, uses local ingredients, and represents a part of the farm-based curriculum. The event will also offer fresh specialty cocktails and Ruby Jewel ice cream.
When: Wednesday, October 2 from 6 to 8 pm.
Where:  The Ecotrust rooftop, 721 NW 9th Av.
How Much: $30 includes food and roof access. Widmer Brothers beer, local wine, and specialty cocktails available for purchase. Buy your tickets here.

Great American Distillers Festival

What: Taste handcrafted rum, bourbon, whisky, vodka and gin at this celebration of American spirits. The festival also boasts a mixology contest, a lesson in cooking with spirits, live music and dancing, and much more.
When: Friday, October 4 from 5 to 10 pm and Saturday, October 5 from 1 to 10 pm.
Where:  Tiffany Center, 1410 SW Morrison St.
How Much: $20 includes a one-day pass with 10 tasting tickets. Purchase tickets here. Attendees must be 21 and over. 

Portland Cider Donut Pop-Up

What: Warm up from that autumn chill with warm cider donuts, freshly pressed apple cider, and live bluegrass music. Grand Central Bakery and Baker & Spice will team up to serve hot cider-glazed donuts, a traditional New England fall treat. Hand pressed cider will also be on sale by the glass, gallon, or growler. 
When: Saturday, October 5 from 9 am to 12 pm.
Where:  Grand Central Bakery parking lot, 714 N. Fremont St.
How Much: Free to attend, with donuts and cider available for purchase. Proceeds will benefit Zenger Farm.

Bees & Seeds Festival

What:  Salute seed savers, pay tribute to bees, and enjoy music, entertainment, and educational activities for all ages at this World Food Day celebration. Don’t miss Holladay Park’s temporary transformation into an urban farm bursting with local, organic, pesticide-free, non-GMO crops, including fresh fruit, veggies, flowers, grains, and beans.
When: Saturday, October 12 from 10 am to 2 pm. 
Where:  Holladay Park, NE 11th Ave and Holladay St.
How Much: Free—event attendees are encouraged to bring non-GMO cans and dried food to support a food drive for the Sunshine Division.

Sugar Skull Decorating Class

What: Satisfy your sweet tooth and your crafty side with this Dia de Los Muertos event. Pastry chef Mindy Keith will teach her students to decorate candy skulls with brightly colored icing, dried chiles, and more. Attendees will be treated to hot chocolate, chocolate con mescal, and pan de muerto, and will leave with a hand-decorated skull.
When: Tuesday, October 15 from 6 to 8 pm.
Where:  Xico, 3715 SE Division St.
How Much: $35 includes snacks, decorations, and two sugar skulls. Call 503-548-6343 or [email protected] to reserve a spot.

Restaurant Beck and Departure’s Land Dinner

What:  Feast on the freshly foraged bounty of the Northwest’s autumn harvest at this five-course celebration of food from the land. The dinner, the second in a two-part “Land and Sea” collaboration between Departure’s Gregory Gourdet and Restaurant Beck’s Justin Wills, features premiere game meats, fall produce, and forest-foraged ingredients including pine sap, birch crumble, and juniper branches. 
When: Thursday, October 17 at 7 pm.
Where:  Departure Restaurant + Lounge, 525 SW Morrison St.
How Much: $72 per person. Call 503-802-5371 to make reservations.

Portland Fermentation Festival

What:  Taste and share homemade live, fermented food and drinks made by professionals and home fermentation enthusiasts. In addition to sampling miso, kefir, mead, cheese, pickles, and more, attendees can swap recipes, enjoy music by DJ Pickle Barrel, and meet Sandor Ellix Katz, author ofWild Fermentation. 
When: Wednesday, October 23 from 6 to 9:30 pm. 
Where:  Ecotrust’s Billy Frank Jr. Conference Center,  721 NW 9th Ave.
How Much: $10 includes a tasting session, $20 includes a tasting and a talk by Sandor Ellix Katz. Tickets and more information available here.

Know about a great event coming up that should be on our radar? Shoot me an email at [email protected] or give me a shout over on Twitter at @allisonejones. Now get out there and start eating!