Thursday, June 11
Mardi gras is coming to the Alamo City via Zoo-La-La, San Antonio's Annual Feast with the Beasts. This event is exclusively 21+, so keep the kids home for this one. Sample local craft brews and wines while stomping the grounds and chow on local and chain favorite restaurants at various stations. Check out featured keeper chats and try your luck at winning prizes at the Zoo Pool. You can bring your own masquerade mask or get one there. $45-$55, 7-10:30pm, 3903 N. St. Mary's St., sazoo.org.
Saturday, June 13
The Chef Cooperative's "It's OfFISHal" (clever, clever) Pop-Up dinner provides a feast of many flavors for San Anto diners, particularly if you like seafood. Hosted by O'liva, a new downtown, fresh-living eatery opening this summer, the event will be held in the courtyard of the Spanish Governor's Palace, where you can dine on seasonal gulf favorites and enjoy live entertainment. Pair your plate with local brews, wines and spirits. $65, 6-9pm, 105 Plaza de Armas, (210) 854-4479, chefcooperatives.com.
The 2015 Texas Folklife Festival will remind you why it's great to be a Texan with a weekend's worth of food, music, culture, crafts and family fun. The 44th Annual festival is dedicated to celebrating the diverse history and cultures that thrive today in the Lone Star State with seven stages and more than 150 menu items to accommodate ravenous attendees. Don't be afraid to dress up in your favorite costume to showcase your heritage. $5-12, 11am-11pm Saturday; noon-7pm Sunday, Institute of Texan Cultures, 801 E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd., (210) 458-2224, texancultures.com.
If you need some summer fun away from the heat, stay in the kitchen and join the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) "Summer Salads and Sandwiches Class." Learn how to craft an entire repertoire of fresh and healthy meals, ranging from simple starters to elegant main courses, along with tips on how to serve and stylize plates. Perfect for people looking to broaden their cooking skills. $39.95, 10am-noon, 312 Pearl Pkwy., Building 3, (210) 554-6400, ciachef.edu/texas.
Flex those nerdy muscles and take in a pint or two during Geeks Who Drink's latest quiz challenge that takes on the anything written by George R. R. Martin and up to the first five seasons of HBO's fantasy romp through Westeros. All men must quiz during "Fire Cannot Kill A Quizmaster." $5 per person in teams of six or less, 6pm, Firehouse Pub & Grill, 5380 Walzem Rd., geekswhodrink.com.
Sunday, June 14
Baked goods taste sweeter when they're for a great cause, don't they? That's what bakers hosting "Baking for a Cause" sale at Beethoven Maennerchor believe. These professional bakers and local restaurateurs are ready to cook up a variety of classic and alternative goodies for whatever you're craving. (Proceeds will go to San Anto Cultural Arts). Prices vary, 11am-3pm, 422 Pereida St.
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