This weekend is the 56th annual Greek Food Festival of Dallas at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church at the southwest corner of Hillcrest and Alpha Road. They're kicking things off Friday with a happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m., along with a chance to win a trip for two to Greece (throw my name in the hat if you go). Plus, dance lessons! Opa! In addition to lots of food and drink, they're holding cooking demos all weekend, starting Friday evening. General admission is $6, kids 12 and under admitted for free.
McKinney (the city not the street) is hosting an Oktoberfest celebration this Friday and Saturday, in their historic downtown. They'll have beer from local brewery Franconia and a bevy of German food from Bavarian Grill (traditional German food); Selim's Doner Kebap House (doner kebap! WHAT!?); Helmet Strudel; roasted nuts; and Local Yocal, the most awesome small town meat processor ever, will be on hand serving schnitzel sandwiches, brats and sausages. Bonus: There's a wurst VW car show. Prizes are awarded for rustiest, most creative roof rack and best engine (stock and modified). Brave Combo is playing both Friday and Saturday night.
If you're in a low-key, stay-around-the-'hood mood this weekend, you should find a seat at the awesomely funky Cosmo's Bar & Lounge (1212 Skillman Street) where they'll tap the first keg of Lakewood Lager, a Vienna-style lager. From the brewer's website: "This October fest style beer starts with a subtle caramel aroma. The coppery hue draws you into its balanced flavor of light malty sweetness and round noble hop bitterness. It finishes dry and clean. Leaving your palate refreshed for another glass." They'll also be serving Temptress-braised brats. Bier und wurst!? Das ist gut!!
The Fort Worth Music Festival is going on this Friday and Saturday at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, with 20 acts on two stages, including Whiskey Folk Ramblers, Reverend Horton Heat and Telegraph Canyon. Additionally, they'll have a hearty amount of good eats from local food trucks like So-Cal Tacos, the Wiener Man, Zombie's and Easy Slider. There's also a culinary tent, where on Friday from 6 to 7 p.m. Rahr & Sons will host a "local beer and local cheese" pairing, featuring Eagle Mountain Cheese. There will also be cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend.
Speaking of Rahr & Sons, they're hosting a Rahr Oktoberfest 5K on Saturday with plenty of beer and breakfast burritos to keep you fueled for an all-out assault on your body over the course of three miles. It starts at 9 a.m. Hopefully everyone is done with the run by 10 a.m., then it's off to das biergarten with das Rahr kraft bier, das musik and das wurst. There's an awards ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Make us proud.