Before the All-Star Game comes to town, you can spend your week eating through can’t-miss events that include a Wednesday night champagne toast, a free concert with food trucks and BOGO boozy drinks in the park, and Italian street-food specials.

Then check out the upcoming events section for three very hot tickets you’ll need to buy ASAP if you want in on the food fun: a July 21 Philly-style hoagie and ice cream pop-up (pre-orders open up Friday, July 9, at 10 a.m.), Marc Vetri’s one-night-only guest stint at Tavernetta on August 2, and Restaurant Olivia’s August 8 Mediterranean wine dinner.

Here’s what’s on the culinary calendar:

Wednesday, July 7

Raise a glass to Local Jones at its first birthday celebration
Local Jones, 249 Columbine Street
This restaurant located inside the Halcyon hotel opened mid-pandemic, but it survived and is now celebrating its first anniversary with a special dinner menu available from 4 to 9 p.m. Items include green chili-and-cheese enchiladas, beet hummus, carrot “osso buco,” Alamosa bass and more. There will also be live music, half-priced bottles of Nicolas Feuillatte wine, and a champagne toast and cake cutting at 8 p.m.
To make a reservation: Book on Resy

Thursday, July 8

Spend an evening enjoying free live music, food and booze in a park
Riverfront Park, 1610 Little Raven Street
The second edition of the Riverfront Park Sessions includes live music from Sturtz, Sarah Slaton & the Great Perhaps and Boot Gun, along with Boulder Beer, Stem Ciders and two food trucks: OG Burgers and Kariacos, which serves Venezuelan street snacks. The fun runs from 4 to 8 p.m. and you can get BOGO drinks from 4 to 5 p.m. If you miss this one, other upcoming Session dates are August 19 and September 16.
For more info: Visit riverfrontparkevents.com

Friday, July 9

Eat food from our 2021 Best Food Truck pick at a brewery anniversary party
Novel Strand Brewing Company, 305 First Avenue
This brewery’s third-anniversary party lasts all week, from July 7 to 11, but if you’re going to hit it up for one day of celebration, make it Friday, because Pho King Rapidos will be on hand. Novel Strand will also be releasing Green Showers, an unfiltered hoppy beer featuring Amarillo, Huell Melon, Idaho 7 and Mosaic hops, and Falafel Pop, an unfiltered hoppy beer featuring HBC-586, Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin hops.
To see the full anniversary week schedule: Check out the Facebook event page

Saturday, July 10

Go bRUNch Running at a Miles and Mimosas pop-up
Green Collective Eatery, 2158 West 32nd Avenue, Unit 100
Run, eat and drink for a good cause with bRUNch Running. A buck from each $15 ticket sold will go to Girls on the Run Rockies; that ticket also includes a post-run Gruvi mimosa, a swag bag and 10 percent off brunch at the Green Collective. There are five start times, beginning at 6:30 a.m., and you can choose from an 8-mile or 5k route. bRUNch Running has a similar event planned for July 25 at Syrup at Edgewater Public Market.
Buy tickets: Eventbrite

Sunday, July 11

Taste Italian street-food All-Star game specials
Panzano, 909 17th Street
This longtime downtown staple for Italian is changing things up a bit for the All-Star game, with a menu of Italian street-food specials available July 10-13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Panzano lounge. Options include a Calabrian fried chicken sandwich, polenta fries, a pork and fennel sausage “burger” and more, all available on a walk-in basis only.
For more info: Visit panzano-denver.com

Monday, July 12

Hear Michael Pollan discuss his new book, This Is Your Mind on Plants
Online
Boulder Book Store is hosting this Zoom chat with the author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma; his new book takes a deep dive into three plant-based drugs: opium, caffeine and mescaline. Tickets start at $28, and the first 245 people to register will get a signed bookplate.
For tickets: Visit Eventbrite

Keep reading for future food and drink events:

Thursday, July 15

Hear from chefs doing food justice right
Space Gallery Annex, 95 South Cherokee Street
Beloved Denver chefs Dana Rodriguez (Work & Class, Super Mega Bien), Jeff Osaka (Osaka Ramen, Sushi-Rama), Paul C. Reilly (Coperta), Letisha Steele and Carrie Shores (both of SAME Cafe) join forces in a documentary series on why food justice matters to them. The SAME Table, $60, benefits nonprofit restaurant SAME Cafe and includes food, beer, wine and the premiere of the documentary from 5 to 8 p.m.
To snag tickets: Visit the SAME Cafe website.

Tuesday, July 20

Commence a Colfax culinary crawl
East Colfax Avenue between St. Paul Street and Colorado Boulevard
Tasty Colfax returns after a year’s sabbatical thanks to COVID, with free bites and drink specials from numerous eateries (and drinkeries!) lining Denver’s longest, wickedest street from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Bands and artists will be performing along the route. Tickets, $25, always sell out.
To get tickets and info: Visit the Tasty Colfax website.

Wednesday, July 21

Feast on hoagies and spumoni choco tacos at a pop-up
Right Cream, 3047 Larimer Street, #101
Bar Dough sous chef A.J. Schreffler was behind Jabroni & Sons, the popular pandemic hoagie pop-up. Now, under the name Little Arthur’s, he’s teaming up with another pandemic food success story, Right Cream, for a one-day-only pop-up with South Philly-style Italian hoagies and spumoni choco tacos. Right Cream alone sells out super quickly online, so set an alarm for your best shot at getting a pre-order in. Pick-up will be available from 4 to 9 p.m.
To secure your grub: Pre-orders go on sale at 10 a.m. on July 9 on Right Cream’s website.

Forget Taco Tuesday; enjoy a taco takeover
Pizzeria Locale, 1730 Pearl Street, Boulder
Chef Jose Avila (of the brand-new La Diabla and cult favorite El Borrego Negro) is taking his show on the road to el norte. Reservations for tacos, margs and pre-Hispanic Mayan cuisine are open now — and going fast.
Secure your spot: Visit Tock to make reservations.

Go to a farm dinner for a good cause
Black Cat Farm, 9889 North 51st Street, Longmont
Sophie’s Neighborhood is a nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for research of rare childhood diseases, started by Boulder chef Hosea Rosenberg and his wife, Lauren Feder, following their daughter Sophie’s diagnosis of a condition that affects only thirty people in the world. Every dinner from this summer’s Supper Club series will benefit Sophie’s Neighborhood, and the July 21 event will feature food from Rosenberg and chef Tajahi Cooke at one 7 p.m. seating for $275 per person.
To buy tickets: Visit firesideatfive.com/supperclub

Thursday, July 22

Eat big at the Big Eat
Various Denver locations
The summer food festival returns after a year of not much to celebrate. Instead of the traditional setup (with everyone gathering under the glass at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Galleria), eateries across Denver will be hosting ticketed events (like cocktail classes and a lamb cookout) and donating a portion of sales to hospitality advocacy group EatDenver. Early participants include Santo, Cart-Driver LoHi, the Bindery and Avanti Food & Beverage (both Denver and Boulder locations).
To keep up with the news: Visit EatDenver’s website.

Saturday, July 24

Binge on bubbly (not that kind) at a beer festival
Mile High Station, 2027 West Colfax Avenue
Beer fests are back, baby! Choose from one of two sessions of the Summer Brew Fest: 1 to 4 p.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. There’s also an evening VIP ticket that gets you in the doors at 6 p.m. Do we need to explain how this works? Nah, it’s Colorado. We’re all experts. Tickets range from $40 to $55.
For details: Visit Summer Brew Fest’s website.

Sunday, July 25

Shell out the big bucks for a Beard-worthy blowout
Annette, 2501 Dallas Street, Aurora
James Beard Award nominee chef Caroline Glover is turning out a three-course meal with wine and whiskey pairings. Seatings are at 5 and 7:45 p.m. and are available for tables of two, four or six diners ($240 to $720).
For menu details and tickets: Take a look at the James Beard Foundation website.

Saturday, July 31

Go whole hog (and cow and chicken and fish) at Heritage Fire
Snowmass Base Village, 84 Carriage Way, Snowmass Village
Cochon555’s Heritage Fire returns to the mountain with an evening of everything from fish to fowl to bovine to Berkshires being cooked over open-air fires along with free-flowing wine, beer and cocktails. Tier one tickets have sold out, but tier two tickets are available through July 15 for $110 for general admission and $175 for VIP early entry.
For more info: Visit the event website.

Monday, August 2

Enjoy a dinner from famed chef Marc Vetri
Tavernetta, 1889 16th Street
The chef behind Philadelphia’s Vetri Cucina will be in Denver for one night only serving up a special four-course menu in collaboration with the Tavernetta team. The 8:15 p.m. seating is already sold out, but you can still book for 5 p.m. for $150 per person.
For reservations: Book on Tock

Thursday, August 5

Go to war for your faves at the Denver Burger Battle
Tivoli Quad, 1000 Larimer Street
The Cherry Cricket is returning to defend its 2019 Judge’s Choice title, as well as past winners Stanley Beer Hall (2018 and 2017), Stoic & Genuine (2016) and eight more contenders hungry for glory and ground beef. See if your tastes line up with those of Westword Food & Drink editor Molly Martin, who will be there as a judge. Tickets, $79 to $144, include bottomless burgers and booze. GA entry begins at 6:30 p.m.
For details and tickets: Take a look at the Denver Burger Battle website.

Sunday, August 8

Dine at a Greek-inspired dinner from one of Denver’s top restaurants
Restaurant Olivia, 290 South Downing Street
The entire team from Italian eatery Olivia are traveling in Greece and, upon their return, will be cooking up a Mediterranean wine dinner inspired by their experiences. The July 25 event sold out quickly, but there are still a handful of spots available for the August 8 dinner.
To book: Visit Tock; reservations require a $25 deposit

Thursday, August 12

Treat yourself to a boozy weekend in the mountains
Vail Athletic Fields, 646 Vail Valley Drive, Vail
This year’s Vail Wine Classic includes wine dinners, seminars and boozy brunch, plus a pair of two-hour grand tastings at 1:30 and 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tickets for the grand tastings are $99 to $225.
For more info: Visit the event website and get tickets on Eventbrite.

Know of an event that belongs on this calendar? Send information to [email protected].