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- John Freyer of Dogfish Head Brewing Co. leads a free tasting of his company’s beers, paired with cheeses, at West Lakeview Liquors from 6 to 9 PM. The star of the show is the just-released Festina Peche, a light-bodied summer brew in a Berliner Weisse style made with peaches.
- Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s three-day Taste of Greece on LaSalle Street (Fri-Sat 4-11 PM, Sun noon-11 PM) features Greek food, beer, wine, ouzo, dancing, and music by the John Linardakis Band. Also: a silent auction, raffles, children’s games, and tours of the cathedral. $2.
Saturday
New Belgium Brewing Company‘s annual Tour de Fat begins with registration at 9 AM, followed by a bike parade at 10. The parade ends at 11, at which point the kegs get tapped and the “revivalation,” with live music and other entertainment, begins. Festivities last until 4 PM, culminating with “Would You Trade Your Car for a Bike?,” in which the winner of the contest of that name will hand over his or her car title and keys in exchange for a new commuter bike and trailer.
Amelia Saltsman, author of The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook, gives a talk titled The Fabled Farmers’ Markets of Southern California from 10 AM to noon at the Chicago History Museum (a Culinary Historians of Chicago program). $5.
Pizza Fest Chicago, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10 PM at Racine and Fullerton, features not only slices and whole pies for sale by eateries including Connie’s Pizza, Nonna’s Italian Pizzeria, and Vinci, but also a contest for the city’s best pizza (thick crust, thin crust, and gourmet), a pizza-eating competition, “acrobatic pizza dough tossing” by the U.S. Pizza Team, live music, wine tasting, cooking demos, and cornhole competitions. $5.
The first Chicago Kids’ Restaurant Week kicks off Saturday from 9 AM to 12:30 PM at Green City Market with cooking demos, food tastings, and culinary activities for kids; it continues through Sat 6/28 with a prix fixe dinner deal at restaurants including Blue Water Grill, Lula Cafe, Otom, Prairie Grass Cafe, and Vie. From 5 to 6:30 PM, kids under 11 pay their age, while adults and kids 12 and over each pay $20.08. A dollar from each meal benefits Green City Market.
At West Lakeview Liquors from 6 to 9 PM, Highland Park single malt scotch, from the Orkney Islands, is on the table in a free tasting showcasing the 12-, 15-, and 18-year-old batches.
Sunday
