This weekend is the 4th annual Rib Rub and Run (say that three times fast) in downtown Rockwall. In addition to a 5K and 10K race, there's a rib cook-off and a People's Choice Award for chicken wings. Perhaps even more enticing - AVA, Bin 303 and Fatted Calf are all part of the food and beer garden, which opens at 9 a.m. Saturday with live music until 6 p.m.
It's a bummer about all the rain on McKinney's Oktoberfest last weekend. So, let's call a redo with Lake Highland's Oktoberfest this Saturday. They'll have Franconia on tap and grub from Kuby's Sausage House and The Grape. They'll have Kids Zone, but more importantly, they'll also have an Adult Game Zone. High-five Lake Highlands! The King Bucks and Two Tons of Steel will be performing in the biergarten that night (which I think is the adult zone) and the organizers kindly encourage parents to line-up baby sitters for the kiddos. One more high-five. I don't know where your mind is LH, but I hope it provides for some good people-watching.
This weekend is the Texas Craft Brewers Festival in Austin at Fiesta Gardens and is only for Texas craft beers. The event will "highlight innovative and special releases, new and seasonal offerings, and rare tappings from established and newly launched breweries operating across the state." General admission tickets are $20, and VIP is $65. Right now their website lists 27 different breweries participating in the event, who will be pouring over 115 beers.
Giving serious thought to going totally off the grid, particularly if you can't make it the Adult Game Zone in Lake Highlands this Saturday? Well, The Reading Room is hosting a series of lectures and classes hosted by Janeil Englestad's called Y'UTOPIAS: An Almanac (of sorts) of Sustainable and Off-The-Grid Living in Texas. Read Merrit Martin's write-up on the Observer's calendar page for specifics. Y'Utopias will run Thursday through Sunday during the State Fair, from 1 to 5 p.m. at The Reading Room at 3715 Perry Avenue. This Sunday at 3 p.m. there will be a class in fermenting sauerkraut. So, going off-grid starts with jarred sauerkraut.
Dinners Chef DAT is hosting a 5-course dinner of rare seafood, wild game and local produce this Thursday (October 4) at 7:30. BYOVino. Also BYOSense of adventure because his dinners are remarkably entertaining. It's $65 per person and you have to get on his email list to find out where. Contact [email protected].
Chef Nicole is hosting a "quick bite" four-course dinner this Friday at 7:30 p.m. She assures that dinner will start promptly at 7:30 because working peeps are tired and hungry after the long week. It's $45 per person (plus gratuity). BYOB at 2901 Elm Street in Deep Ellum. Email chef Nicole at [email protected].
The non-profit organization Café Momentum, which benefits the Youth Village of Dallas, is hosting a dinner at Acme F&B (4900 McKinney) on Sunday October 7th at 6:00 p.m.