Tuesday, March 3
Chow down for a cause at the twenty-second annual St. Jude’s Dinner hosted by Avenue Bar. Enjoy a family-style feast while singing along with the University of Wisconsin Pep Band to fan favorites including “On, Wisconsin.” All proceeds benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. $30, 5 p.m., avenuebarmadison.com
Thursday, March 5
To kick off their monthly wine tasting series, Uncorked, Fresco is throwing a classy shindig in honor of a crowd favorite, Pinot Noir. Wine connoisseurs and amateurs alike are invited to the Pinot Party, an entire evening devoted to getting friendly with the aromatic red and the cuisine that complements it best. $40, 6-8:30 p.m., frescomadison.com
Friday, March 6
Silliness ensues as the grown-ups take over the Madison Children’s Museum for a night of environmentally-friendly fun at the Adult Swim Sustainability Sideshow. Step right up for “compost-olitan” cocktails, green-themed carnival games, upcycled art and all the locally grown treats you can eat. No kids allowed. 7-11 p.m.,madisonchildrensmuseum.org
Saturday, March 7
Clear your calendars, craft beer lovers, because for one day and one day only, more than fifty of the top breweries in the nation will converge at the Alliant Energy Center for Madison on Tap Craft Beer Festival. Choosing which of the 100 releases to sample first, from ales to lagers, might be the hardest decision you will ever make. 2:30-6 p.m.,americaontap.com
You don’t have to travel far to taste award-winning wine; not when Wollersheim Winery is right in Madison’s backyard. Even the most wine-savvy diner will learn something new at the winery’s annual Open House, featuring tours of the historic underground cellars, a tasting of some of the most popular Wisconsin-grown reds and whites and tips from a master chef on how to cook with wine. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., wollersheim.com
Sunday, March 8
Food Network’s Dinner: Impossible comes to life as celebrity chef Robert Irvine takes the stage at Overture Center to show off his chops. This is not your run-of-the-mill cooking demo; it’s a “multi-sensory theatrical experience” that combines high stakes culinary challenges with new music, exclusive video content and ample opportunities for audience participation. 7:30 p.m., overturecenter.org
The Chow Down is Madison Magazine‘s food blog about restaurant openings, events and chefs written by Kathy Brozyna and other contributors.
