Food

9 Can’t-Miss Food Events This Week: Snallygaster, Taste of Georgetown

Plus an Italian-style pig roast.

Graze among 35-plus eateries and watch a giant cupcake-eating competition at Taste of Georgetown. Photograph via Taste of Georgetown.

Drink more bourbon: September is National Bourbon Heritage Month, and Jack Rose is celebrating with a series of distillery highlights and specials on Thursday nights (through September 25). Stop into the second-floor “balcony room” from 6 to 11 this week for sips from Heaven Hill Distillers, a menu of whiskey-infused eats, and dram specials. Admission is free, and open to the public.

Patriotic partying: The National Museum of American History commemorates the Star Spangled Banner’s 200th year with a gala in the museum on Friday. Food Network host Simon Majumdar emcees the fete, which includes cocktail lessons and sips from a host of big-name bartenders, historical drinking lessons from author David Wondrich, live music, and more. Tickets start at $200.

Tiki Friday: Del Campo recently launched a series of Friday rooftop soirees called ‘Del Campo at Dusk,’ each with a different theme. Head up to the Penn Quarter eatery’s scenic top floor from 6 to 9 for a tiki party this week, boasting island-inspired cocktails and menu of roast suckling pig, dumplings, and Spam musubi (yes, Spam sushi is a thing) from host chef Victor Albisu and guests Jonah Kim and Scott Drewno. Tickets are $65 per person.

The best of Georgetown: One of DC’s biggest neighborhood festivals, Taste of Georgetown goes down on Saturday from noon to 5. Over 35 eateries including 1789, Bourbon Steak, and the upcoming Chez Billy Sud offer $5 bites, and guests can get their fill of wine and beer in tasting pavilions. Also among the foodie festivities: a Baked & Wired giant cupcake-eating competition, a chef showdown, and more. Tasting tickets start at $5, and can be purchased in packages for $20.

Giant beer-fest: One of the biggest beer festivals of the year, Snallygaster, goes down on Saturday at the Yards. The Neighborhood Restaurant Group (Bluejacket, ChurchKey, etc.) is behind the event among others, so you can expect an impressive lineup of 250-plus brews plus eats from various food trucks, Red Apron, Rappahannock Oysters, and more. Advance ticket packages (available through September 12) vary, from $30 general admission with 25 food and drink tickets, to $50 VIP. Day-of admission is $10, with all proceeds benefiting Arcadia.

Chesapeake-palooza: Grapeseed celebrates the bounty of the Bay with Chessiefest, a seafood festival on Saturday from noon to 3. A $30 ticket gets you local and sustainable wild blue catfish, smoked bluefish, clams, and all-you-can-eat oysters, plus sides like slaw and hushpuppies. Evolution brews are an additional $5, with $1 from every sale going towards the Oyster Recovery Project.

Historical cooking: Explore the culinary side of early American Jews during a cooking class at the Hill Center on Sunday lead by pastry chef-historian Amanda Moniz. Participants in the $40 session from 11 to 1:30 will learn about traditional Jewish-American cookery and recipes, recreating dishes such as cold fried fish, caper sauce, and almond pudding.

Italian pig roast: Osteria Morini recreatates Maialata, a pork-filled festival held in the mountain towns of Northern Italy, on Sunday from noon to 4. Guests can opt for all-you-can-eat-and-drink ($75) or unlimited food ($50), with dishes such as whole roasted suckling pig, meatballs, cheese and charcuterie boards, salads, and gelato sandwiches, washed down with DC Brau brews and whiskey cocktails. Kids 12 and under are $25, with registration for all available online. 

AdMo Day: Make it a weekend of neighborhood fests by checking out Adams Morgan Day on Sunday from noon to 7. One of the oldest city festivals features live music, a dance plaza, kid’s fair, and plenty of eats from local restaurants.

Food Editor

Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.