This week in food events: Bubbly Creek Brawl, Crob Mob and more

Peppered bacon wrapped pork wing by Flo & Santos at Baconfest
Peppered bacon wrapped pork wing by Flo & Santos at Baconfest Baconfest/Anne Petersen
Peppered bacon wrapped pork wing by Flo & Santos at Baconfest
Peppered bacon wrapped pork wing by Flo & Santos at Baconfest Baconfest/Anne Petersen

This week in food events: Bubbly Creek Brawl, Crob Mob and more

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.
Dig if you will the picture: Peppered bacon wrapped pork wing by Flo & Santos at Baconfest (Baconfest/Anne Petersen)

Monday, July 23

Eat all you can with Amigos de Pintxo at Barcito, “[p]art of the proceeds will be donated to Common Threads.” Held every other Monday, this week “Pintxo the Perro [a Spanish French Bulldog cousin to Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog] and Ryan Poli invite Merlin Verrier of Graham Elliot to the Guest Chef Series.” Co-founded by Art Smith, Common Threads’ mission is “to educate children on the importance of nutrition and physical well-being, and to foster an appreciation of cultural diversity through cooking.” Admission $25.

Tuesday, July 24

Bring your black thumb to Organic Vegetable Gardening 101 Workshop at The Plant. No yard? No problem. “This workshop is for beginner vegetable gardeners planting both in the ground and in containers. “What’s The Plant? It’s “a new kind of organization in a very old building. It’s part vertical farm, part food-business incubator, part research and education space — and it will be entirely off the grid.” Admission $20.

Wednesday, July 25

See pigs fly at the 84th Annual Lake County Fair in Grayslake, until this Sunday, July 29. Well they must, since new this year there’s “[d]aily pig-wing eating contests and Sunday grand championships.” See what you missed last year here. I highly recommend the corn dogs and elephant ears, but not while strolling lovely Livestock Lane. But please note there are air-conditioned and attended restrooms in the Expo Hall! Admission $8 weekdays/$10 weekend; $5 seniors/children; active military in uniform with ID, FREE; see all ticket details here.

Thursday, July 26

Meet the Market at Nellcôte, and by the “Market” they mean the Green City Market Junior Board and Mick Klug from Mick Klug Farm. “Chef Jared Van Camp will feature snacks and cocktails using fresh produce from Mick Klug. A portion of the proceeds benefit Green City Market’s EBT Link matching program!” Admission FREE including snacks, cocktails additional with cost donated to GCM.

Dosado to the Inaugural Sugar Beet Coop Benefit Gala at Fitzgerald’s Nightclub. “We can’t wait to do-si-do with you to the charming square dance tunes of the Golden Horse Ranch Square Dance Band.  In Sugar Beet style, we will be honoring the farmers and their amazing work with a farm-to-table dinner prepared by local chefs.” What’s Sugar Beet? “The Sugar Beet Cooperative will provide high quality, locally sourced food produced in ecologically sounds ways.” Admission $40 adult, $10 children.

Friday, July 27

Cross that bridge to the 8th Annual Chefs and the City at the Ritz-Carlton, benefitting Heartland Alliance’s Vital Bridges Center on Chronic Care. The event features “features 26 of Chicago’s top culinary talents” with tastings, beer/wine/cocktail pairings, dessert, and even late night bites. “Vital Bridges’ mission is to help people throughout metropolitan Chicago impacted by HIV and AIDS to improve their health and build self-sufficiency by providing food, nutrition counseling, housing, care coordination and prevention services.” Admission $200 Main Tasting, $400 VIP.

Saturday, July 28

Expand Your Growing Season: Planting Fall Crops at this month’s Green City Market Edible Gardens workshop in Lincoln Park Zoo’s Farm-in-the-Zoo. “The Edible Gardens program at Green City Market provides hands-on gardening education and activities to children, adults and school groups…We will direct seed for plants that will mature in fall such as carrots, turnips, and beets.” Admission FREE.

Mob the crops at Crop Mob at Chicago Lights Urban Farm, with the tireless Green City Market Junior Board. “The farm empowers neighborhood youth and residents to have increased economic opportunities through access to organic produce, nutritional education, and work-force training. Come check out this oasis in the city and lend our friends at Growing Power a hand. We’ll be building growing beds, wood-chipping pathways, seeding some fall crops, and fixing up the compost bins.”Admission FREE but please RSVP.

Let’s get ready to bubble! — at the Bubbly Creek Barrel Brawl at the Co-Prosperity Sphere. “From the shores of Chicago’s only naturally fermenting river rises a homebrew contest and event unlike any other. A keg vs. keg faceoff for the ultimate prize: brew the winning beer with Pete Crowley at Haymarket Pub.” Drink beer, judge, and get a souvenir tasting glass too. Admission $20.

Celebrate from sunset kirtan until dawn at Edible Alchemy’s 3rd annual Summer Feastival in Pilsen, with “DIY workshops on cooking, gardening, community organizing, and more” including macrobiotic kimchi rice rolls, almond ganache tartlettes, watermelon salsas, beer, cocktails, kombucha, and even fire spinning! “Through close ties with local farmers, ecologically-minded partners, and urban initiatives, Edible Alchemy sustains local food production to the community of Chicago.”Admission $20 including food; whiskey and kombucha additional.

Sunday, July 29

Get a sweet dose at this month’s Dose Market at the River East Arts Center. This month’s market cause, the Honeycomb Project, will raise funds with their local honey and handmade honeycomb soap. Through the Honeycomb Project “[p]arents and kids are working together to improve our city and learning first-hand about local issues like river health, homelessness and literacy.” Also at the market get a free astrology reading, a new Dose-inspired doughnut from Glazed & Infused, and Mess Hall & Co.‘s bar cherries: “tart cherries, demerara sugar, bourbon, cinnamon twigs, tellicherry peppercorn, vanilla bean, clove, star anise.” Admission $8 advance, $10 door.