History of the pumpkin: Ever wonder why pumpkins are so important to Americans? This Saturday at 2pm, join chef Brian Patterson of L’Academie de Cuisine at the National Museum of American History for the Cooking up History lecture series. Learn all about your favorite autumnal treat, from it’s historical roots to it’s use in cuisine.
Prost!: Dress in your best lederhosen and head to 1905 for their Oktoberfest celebration, Brats & Brews, this Saturday in Shaw. Chef Joel Hatton offers three types of sausage, various krauts, pretzels, and more. The celebration begins at 1 pm, and items are priced individually or as a combo meal of $15 that includes your choice of sausage, two sides, and a can of DC Brau Oktoberfest. Cheers!
Wine and dine: Come Celebrate Virginia Wine Month with Epicurience Virginia, happening this Saturday at One Loudoun. Try foods from chef de cuisine Chris Edwards of Salamander Resort & Spa, chef Jason Lage of Market Table Bistro, along with local VA wines. The festivities begin at 1 pm, and entrance is $75 per person. Can’t make it to the festival? Check out some of the post-festival deals here.
All-you-can-eat oysters: Brasserie Beck celebrates oyster season with all-you-can-eat oysters on Saturday from 12 to 4 pm. For $36, shellfish lovers can get a taste of Virginia oysters, live music, and $5 Wittekerke Wild drafts. Call 202-408-1717 for reservations.
Even more all-y0u-can-eat-oysters: Hank’s Oyster Bar in Old Town, Alexandria dishes up fried, grilled, and raw oysters on Saturday. The all-you-can-eat OysterFest features an abundance of bivalves with sides like onion rings, Old Bay fries, and crispy calamari. Tickets ($90 per person) also include all-you-can drink beer, wine, and punch.
Curbside Cookoff: Tapas Truck, Kabob Square, Fire and Rice and a bounty of other food trucks will be serving delicious bites at the Curbside Cookoff on Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. The DMV Food Truck Association hosts the event at NoMa’s Storey Park. The festival includes beer stations, live music, a vendor marketplace, and a play area for kids. Tickets are from $39 to $55.
Pigstarter: Join Sixth Engine chef Kyle Bailey for the first-ever Pigstarter this Sunday. Using one pig, Bailey and seven other DC Chefs including Matt Baker of Gravitas, Jeremy Waybright of The Riggsby and Katsuya Fukushima of Daikaya will be creating hors d’oeuvres and other dishes for attendees to try in order to bring awareness about whole animal butchery. The night of music, food sampling and complimentary drinks will last from 6pm to 10pm and tickets are $75 per person.
Sydney is an editorial fellow at Washingtonian Magazine, where she writes about history, news, food, and events. A recent graduate of the College of William & Mary, she is interested in writing and videography. You can follow her on Twitter @sydneykmahan
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
