October 2-5
Kansas City, MO—American Royal Barbecue Contest
If you take your barbecue skills seriously or even if you don’t and just like to feast on grilled, sauced meats, this is the event for you. This year marks the 29th anniversary of the “World Series” of barbecue, where contestants from all over the U.S. and Canada descend upon Kansas City to battle for the title of Grand Champion. Launched in 1980, The American Royal Barbecue is the season finale for the competitive circuit. For more information, visit www.americanroyal.com or email BBQ@americanroyal.com.

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October 5
Redwood City, CA—Eleventh Annual Arts & Olive Festival
Celebrate olives and the arts amidst hundreds of olive trees on the beautiful Cañada College campus. Bay Area residents will enjoy a day of entertainment, savory foods and wine, as well as olive oils and vinegars. Last year, entertainment for the little ones included clowns, face painting, crafts and live performances from the National Puppet Theatre, the Zambalita Middle Eastern Dance Company and the Sambão Brazilian Dance Troupe. This event is held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit www.olivefest.com.

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October 9-11
Denver, CO—Great American Beer Festival
The 27th edition of the Great American Beer Festival returns to Denver. Last year, more than 1,800 beers (in one-ounce tasting portions) from more than 400 American breweries were served to the event's 46,000 attendees. The list of beers is the largest array of U.S. beers ever gathered together in one setting. The beers served at the festival are evaluated by over 100 premier beer judges and evaluated in 75 different beer-style categories. This year, the 2008 medal winners will be announced during the Saturday afternoon session on October 11. This annual reunion is a chance for the nation's craft brewers to share advice and knowledge, network with distributors and retailers, and connect with beer enthusiasts. Tickets are available through the Brewers Association at www.beertown.org, through the festival web site and Ticketmaster. Prices are $50 in advance for an evening session (Thursday, Friday or Saturday). A Saturday Afternoon Members Only session ticket is $78 and includes a membership to the American Homebrewers Association, and can only be purchased through the Brewers Association and Ticketmaster. For more information, visit www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com.

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October 17-19
Edgartown, MA—Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival
Martha's Vineyard celebrates the fall harvest from the sea, farm and vine at the second annual Food and Wine Festival. Come and sample fare from Island farms, taste culinary creations by renowned chefs, and try a variety of international wines, all on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, located just seven miles off the Massachusetts coastline. Last year, the festival kicked off with a reception at the Hob Knob Inn, followed by two days of sampling, sipping, wine dinners and educational seminars such as “The Terroir of Olive Oil,” “Great Green Wines” and “There’ll Be No Wining”–a cocktail seminar hosted by the bar manager of Eastern Standard. The festival’s signature event, Saturday’s Sumptuous Stroll, offered an afternoon of wine, artisanal food sampling and cooking demonstrations, all held under a tent at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. For a complete list of this year's events, attendees, lodging and ticket information, please call 508-939-0880 or visit www.seafarmvine.org.

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October 17-19
Paso Robles, CA—Paso Robles Harvest Wine Tour
The Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association invites wine lovers to enjoy the 2008 harvest through a combination of over 100 individual events, including special winemaker dinners, vineyard tours, seminars, cooking classes, concerts and arts. Nearly 90 wineries are taking part in this year's celebration, presenting the perfect opportunity to meet winemakers and find great harvest discounts in the fastest-growing wine region of California. For the latest information on participating wineries, call the Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association at 805-239-8463 or 800-549-WINE, or visit www.pasowine.com.

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October 18
Fredericksburg, TX—Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest
This 18th annual festival will feature Texas wines, food and entertainment at its best.Tickets are available for advance purchase online and will also be available at the gate. Admission is $20 for adults, $5 for anyone under 21 and kids under 12 get in for free. A $20 admission includes a Souvenir Fest wine glass, three tickets for free wine samples, six sessions of the Grape Expectations Cooking School, as well as Texas wine and specialty food to sample. For more information, visit www.fbgfoodandwinefest.com.

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October 18-19
Half Moon Bay, CA—Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
Held in the Pumpkin Capital of the World, the royal granddaddy festival of pumpkins heralds the coming of "All Hallows Eve" with one of the biggest pumpkin festivals in the world. Held on Main Street, this year's festival features a wickedly delicious lineup of rustic pumpkin patches, harvest-inspired arts and crafts, home-style foods, blockbuster entertainment, the Great Pumpkin Parade, a scarecrow contest, a pancake breakfast, a titanic weigh-off of champion pumpkins, world-class pumpkin carvers and pie eating, carving and costume contests. The festival is held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on both days. For more information call 650-726-9652 or visit www.miramarevents.com.

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October 24-26
Kohler, WI—Kohler Food & Wine Experience
The eighth annual Kohler Food & Wine Experience will feature a weekend bursting with flavor. Enjoy succulent fare from award-winning local and international chefs, acquire some culinary knowledge from food and wine specialists, and meet and greet the chefs at celebrity cookbook signings. Last year, the slate of events began with the Kohler Chefs’ Challenge, where six Destination Kohler chefs each paired with a local celebrity guest chef to create an exciting menu selection centered around “Comfort Food from the Heartland.” A variety of lectures and chefs’ demonstrations also took place, like “Winter Feast in Alsace” with Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys and Burger Bar Las Vegas, “The Kitchen Table” with chef Randy Evans of Brennan’s of Houston, “Making Artisanal Chocolates at Home,” and “Wine and Food Paring 101,” to name a few. There was also a Sunday Brunch featuring Taittinger Champagne, Kohler Original Recipe chocolate pancakes, fresh and smoked seafood, carving stations, house-made pastries, and fine Wisconsin artisanal cheeses. For more information, call 800-344-2838 or visit www.destinationkohler.com.

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October 25-27
Miami, FL—Seventh Annual Miami Wine Fair
This trade and consumer fair, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, is the largest independent wine expo in Florida. More than 5,000 visitors are expected to taste wines from 15 countries at this three-day Grand Tasting. Last year, over 1,000 wines from all over the world, including South Africa, Italy, Australia, Germany, Spain and California were available for tasting and pairing with culinary delights prepared by Miami's top restaurants. Guests were invited to attend a wine and food pairing competition, dinners and cocktail parties. While the fair attracts prominent wine companies like Brown-Forman, Allied Domecq and Kendall-Jackson, it is also open to boutique and low-yield producers to present and promote their wines before Florida’s wine trade. For more information, visit www.miamiwinefair.com, email info@miamiwinefair.com or call 305-777-2255.

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(Updated: 05/16/08 ET)