Looking for something to do this weekend? Here are five choice dining events going on around the Twin Cities:
1) Smack Shack Crayfest Block Party
When: Saturday, noon to 8 p.m.
Where: Smack Shack
What: This all you can eat Louisiana-style crawfish boil brings beer, bugs, and music to the streets of downtown Minneapolis. They'll be serving up locally harvested crayfish, new potatoes, corn, sausage, and coastal slaw. Wash it down with hurricanes and all you can drink Fulton Lonely Blonde beer. Check out the crawfish eating contest while listening to live music, too. For ticket, music, and other info click here.
2) Butcher & the Boar Buy a Dog, Save a Dog
When: Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Butcher & the Boar
What: Butcher & the Boar and Save-A-Bull Rescue presents Buy a Dog, Save a Dog fundraiser party. The beer garden will have food, drinks, live music, photo booth fun, and more. 100% of proceeds from B&TB sausage sales will benefit the dogs in rescue and 100% of raffle ticket sales from the "beer pull" will go directly to the rescue. Leashed and well behaved dogs are welcome to attend. Check out more info here.
3) Izzy's Ice Cream Peanut Butter & Jam
When: Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.
Where: Merriam Terrace Park
What: Free and open to the public, this day of family fun includes free (while it lasts) Izzy's Ice Cream. Food from O'Gara's, Pizza Lucé, and more will also be available. Everyone is encouraged to bring a jar of peanut butter to the party for the Keystone Midway Food Shelf. Bands will take the stage throughout the event, including Communist Daughter. For music line-up and other information, click here.
4) Open Streets Mpls
When: Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Minnehaha Ave (Lake St. E. to Godfrey Parkway)
What: Open Streets Mpls heads to Longfellow to celebrate Minnehaha Avenue. Explore and enjoy over two miles of the neighborhood street free of motorized traffic. Food trucks Stanley's on Wheels and Kabomelette will be around and there will be specials at Peace Coffee, Mosaic Café, Parkway Pizza, and more. Harriet Brewing will be open for its first Sunday ever serving up craft beer alongside live music. Find more info here.
5) 10th Annual Pizza Lucé Block Party
When: Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.
Where: Pizza Lucé (Downtown Minneapolis)
What: Pizza Lucé will be serving up their pizza by the slice as well as hot brats and veggie brats from the grill outside their warehouse district location at their 10th annual block party. Summit Brewing will be pouring EPA, Meridan Ale, and Summer Ale by the pint. In addition to a line-up of local music, they'll have face-painting and other activities for kids at this free party. Find more information about the event here.
Also of Note: Kings Wine Bar is celebrating their 4th birthday with complimentary creations from Kings' new chef Andrew Kraft (Sunday 6 to 9 p.m). The first annual North Loop Fest promises food from local restaurants and beer from Fulton and Cuzzy's plus live music (Saturday 6 to 10 p.m.). Minnesota Garlic Festival is in its 8th year and will have food from local restaurants Birchwood Café, Lucia's, Restaurant Alma, Tilia, Brasa, Sen Yai Sen Lek, and beer from Badger Hill (Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). There are still a limited number of tickets available for one session of Travail Kitchen's dinner demo at Midtown Global Market (Friday, 5:30 p.m.). Brew at the Zoo beer festival brings brews, complimentary appetizers, and live music to the zoo (Friday 7 to 10 p.m.).
