Friday (Sept. 28):
Taste of St. Louis @ Soliders Memorial Plaza This annual family-friendly, food-obsessed event features live music, an art and wine walk, a chef battle royale and, of course, plenty of vendor options to feed fervent festival-goers. Admission is free. Friday, Sept. 28 from 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29 from 11 a.m to 11 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 30 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
St. Louis Scottish Games and Cultural Festival @ Forest Park Experience all things Scottish including highland athletics, bagpipes, folk music, sheepdog trials and plenty of food and drink. Try bangers, pasties, haggis, Scotch eggs and more from vendors such as The Scottish Arms. Adult tickets cost between $10-20. Friday, Sept. 28 from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday (Sept. 29):
Green Homes and Great Health Festival @ Missouri Botanical Garden Check out more than 100 sustainability displays and instructive sessions, get a free flu shot and purchase goods and produce from local farmers, crafters and artisans. An "Eat Well Local" food court includes offerings from Local Harvest Cafe, the Royale, Schlafly Beer and more. Admission price is included with regular Garden admission ($4 for St. Louis City and County residents - free before noon, free for children ages 12 and under). 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cupcake Temptations @ Kitchen Conservatory Instructor/cookbook author Naam Pruitt leads a comprehensive hands-on cupcake crash course in which participants construct apple-walnut cupcakes with caramel frosting, pumpkin chiffon cupcakes with pumpkin mousse filling and cream cheese frosting, chocolate-peanut butter cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and chocolate curls, and tiramisù cupcakes with mascarpone cream filling and Italian buttercream frosting. The class costs $55 per person. Register online at the Kitchen Conservatory web site. 12 to 2:30 p.m.
Grand Tasting Event @ Peabody Opera House As a special sidenote to the Taste of St. Louis, this VIP private tasting provides an alternative to the festival style fare outdoors. Sample eats from nineteen restaurants, scope out chef demos and mixology presentations, partake in giveaways and more. Tickets cost $39 in advance through the Taste of St. Louis web site or $50 at the door. Sessions available from noon to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m.
Tucktoberfest @ Friar Tuck's Sample the biggest selection of Oktoberfest, pumpkin and fall season beer and wine around town. Free. 1 to 5 p.m.
Harvest Wine Dinner @ Sugar Creek Winery This five-course meal includes mussels mariniere with vidal blanc; grilled pork tenderloin with balsamic reduction and yellow pepper coulis with chambourcin; sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream with signature port; and more. The cost per person is $60. Call 636-987-2400 for reservations. 6 p.m.
Sunday (Sept. 30):
Olivette on the Go @ Stacy Park Welcome the fall season with open arms by partaking in a fest full of carnival rides, a chili cook-off (on Satuday from 1 to 3 p.m.) and food vendors such as I Scream Cakes, Ms. Piggies Smokehouse and Fallon's Bar & Grill. Get the full schedule of events at the Olivette on the Go web site. Friday, Sept. 28 from 4 to 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29 from noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 30 from noon to 9 p.m.
Magnificent Missouri Conservation Celebration @ Bowood Farms The price tag on this extreme locavore dinner is lofty, but it does promise heritage breed pork and locally harvested produce cooked up by some of the city's most reputable chefs. Take, for instance, Gerard Craft and Nate Hereford of Niche, Mike Emerson of Pappy's Smokehouse and Kevin Nashan of Sidney Street Cafe, to name a few. Tickets cost $200 each via the Magnificent Missouri web site, with complete proceeds to benefit conservation and environmental groups throughout Missouri. 3 to 7 p.m.
Saint Charles Oktoberfest @ Frontier Park Pumpkin painting, daschund races, a 5k and root beer fun run, German food, plentiful drinks and more overtake historic South Main Street in St. Charles. Friday, Sept. 28 through Sunday, Sept. 30.
