Volksfest 2013

What:  Celebrate the autumn harvest at this 3-day festival and fundraiser. Festivities include a pumpkin carving contest, live music, late night dancing, a bonfire circle, and a scariest scarecrow building contest. There will be plenty to eat and drink as well, including fresh bagels, griddle cakes, sausages, burgers, mulled cider, beer, wine, and ice cream. Read our full Volksfest article for more info!
When: Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20. Hours vary by day.
Where: The Colony, 7525 N Richmond Ave.
How Much:  Free to attend—donations of produce and canned goods are appreciated and will benefit Urban Gleaners. Food and drink available for purchase. More information here.

Killer Pumpkin Festival

What:  Partake in all the pumpkin festivities at this two day pumpkin fete. Pumpkin smashing! Pumpkin bowling! Pumpkin food! And best of all, over 25 killer pumpkin beers!
When: Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20 from 11 am to midnight.
Where: Green Dragon, 928 SE 9th St.
How Much: Free to attend. Pumpkin food and beer available for purchase.    

Fall Harvest Cocktail Party with Accanto & Clear Creek Distillery

What:  Toast the fall harvest with late-night drinks. Accanto and Clear Creek Distillery are teaming up to celebrate the season of keeping warm, offering seasonal Italian small plates from Accanto’s late night menu and a collection of autumn-inspired cocktails.
When: Saturday, October 19 at 10 pm.
Where: Accanto,  2838 SE Belmont St.
How Much: Free to attend. Cocktails are $8 each. Food available for purchase.  

Cupcake Demo with Trophy Cupcake's Jennifer Shea

What:  Meet Trophy Cupcake's founder, self-taught baker and party maker Jennifer Shea. Jennifer will discuss and sign her new book, Trophy Cupcakes and Parties. Guests will enjoy a frosting demo, cupcake samples, party tips, and champagne. 
When: Tuesday, October 22 from 6:30 to 8 pm.
Where: Pages to Plate event space at Baker & Spice Cakery, 6306 SW Capitol Hwy.
How Much: Free to attend. Call 503-546-3737 to reserve a spot. 

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 of Wild 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.

Doug Fir Gospel Brunch Series

What: Clap your hands and stomp your feet to the music of local soul diva Linda Hornbuckle and her Old Time Gospel Hour, before tucking into a full southern style buffet brunch. The gospel brunch will include chicken fried steak bites, Georgian grits, Carolina potatoes, collards, okra, and a full menu of specialty cocktails.
When: October 27, November 10, November 24, and December 15. Doors open at 1:30 pm; brunch served at 2 pm; show begins at 2:30 pm.
Where:  Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St.  
How Much: $25 includes general admission seating and brunch. All shows are 21+. Purchase tickets here or at the Doug Fir Box Office.

Sake Dinner with Tsuyoshi Nakao of Nakao Brewery

What: Join Biwa, Cyril’s at Clay Pigeon Winery, and Joto Sake for a sake-centric dinner presented by Nakao Brewery president Tsuyoshi Nakao. Guests will sample multiple brands of sake paired with cheese and sake-focused dishes. Certified sake specialist Joto Sake will also be on hand to discuss sake and answer questions.
When: Monday, October 28 at 7 pm.
Where:  Cyril’s at Clay Pigeon Winery, 815 SE Oak St.
How Much: $65 includes dinner, sake pairings, and fun surprises. Call Biwa at 503-239-8830 for reservations.

Gumbo Cook Off 2013

What:  Vote for your favorite gumbo after tasting your way through a sampler platter. Talented chefs from around the city will be preparing premium gumbo in hopes of garnering your vote. Previous winners include Bunk Bar, Lucky Strike, and Acadia. 
When: Saturday, November 2 from 12 to 3 pm.
Where: EaT: An Oyster Bar, 3808 N Williams Ave.
How Much: $10 gets you a sampler platter of premium gumbo.

Dia de los Muertos Mexican Farm Feast

What: Celebrate Dia de los Muertos at this nine-course feast featuring classic Mexican dishes. Guests will dine on Mole Oaxaqueno with Tamworth heritage pork, Matsutake mushroom tamales, chiles en nogada, pumpkin seed salsa, and much more. The event will also include an array of Pan de Muertos and a traditional Day of the Dead altar. 
When: Saturday, November 2 at 7 pm.
Where:  Tabor Bread, 5051 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
How Much: $75 per person. Call 503-734-4329 to make reservations.

Coi Cookbook Release Party

What:  Take home a copy of Coi: Stories and Recipes, a new cookbook by San Francisco’s Chef Daniel Patterson. Chef Katy Millard of Portland’s Coquine, who spent over two years in Patterson’s kitchens, has planned a pop-up to celebrate the cookbook’s release, featuring dishes inspired by her time at Coi. Guests will also have the rare opportunity to hear stories of Chef Patterson’s approach and inspiration straight from the man himself, along with wine pairings from Anam Cara Cellars, Bethel Heights Vineyard, Crowley Wines, and Division Winemaking Company. 
When: Saturday, November 2 from 7 to 9:30 pm.
Where: SE Wine Collective, 2425 SE 35th Pl.
How Much: $85 includes food, wine, and a signed copy of Coi: Stories and Recipes.  Purchase tickets here.

An Evening with China Forbes at Bluehour

What:  Enjoy a private musical performance by Pink Martini’s China Forbes and an intimate four-course dinner at this benefit for the German American School of Portland. The meal will be prepared by a team of notable Portland chefs, including Chef Chris Israel of Grüner and Chef Dolan Lane of Bluehour.
When: Sunday, November 3 from 5:30 to 10 pm. 
Where: Bluehour Restaurant, 250 NW 13th Ave. 
How Much: $375 per person. Very limited seating available. Questions and ticket information can be directed to Blake Peters at [email protected].  

Genoa’s Second Annual Orange Wine Dinner

What:  Take a note from the fall leaves (and OSU fans) and go orange! Genoa’s annual Orange Wine Dinner includes exciting new bottles of wine and five courses of contemporary spins on rustic Italian cuisine by Chef Jake Martin. Sommelier Michael Garofola will co-emcee with food and wine historian, Italian translator, Ph.D., and rock musician Jeremy Parzen of DoBianchi.
When: Tuesday, November 5 at 6:30 pm.
Where: Genoa Restaurant, 2832 SE Belmont St.
How Much: $155 per person. Call 503-238-1464 to make reservations. 

The Taste of Zupan’s

What:  Sample your way through Zupan’s showcase of exceptional holiday food and drink. Attendees are invited to try everything from rib roast and spiral ham to a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, as well as a wide variety of wine, beer, and desserts. All proceeds will go towards providing Thanksgiving dinners for local families.
When: Saturday, November 9 from 10:30 am to 3 pm. 
Where: Heathman Hotel, 1001 SW Broadway.
How Much: $20 in advance or $25 at the door. All proceeds benefit the Portland Police Bureau’s Sunshine Division. Purchase tickets at any Zupan’s Markets location or online here. 

Oyster Bus 2013

What:  Ride the Oyster Bus to Hama Hama Oyster Farms for copious amounts of farm fresh oysters, lunch prepared by chefs from the Parish Restaurant, and bubbly beverages provided by Argyle Winery, Lompoc Brewing, and Trumer Pilsner. This is a very popular event, so grab your tickets early.
When: Saturday, November 9 at 9 am.
Where: The Parish, 231 NW 11th Ave.
How Much: $100 per person. Tickets are available for purchase at the Parish.  

Schwenksgiving 2013 Open House

What:  Fausse Piste and Teutonic are teaming up for this open house at Sauvage. Don’t miss out on new releases and cellar specials. Shwenked turkey available separately.   
When: Sunday, November 17 from 12 to 5 pm. 
Where: Sauvage, 537 SE Ash St. #102
How Much: $10 tasting fee, or $20 tasting fee plus a super pour.

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!