Update at 3:20 p.m. : We just received word that the Soul Food Cook Off @ Under the Volcano has been postponed til some time in February.
7th Annual YAGA Chili Quest & Beer Fest @ Galveston
Friday, 8 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
23rd and Strand
The seventh annual Chili & Beer Fest begins with a kickoff party Friday evening before Saturday's festivities, which include a 5K fun run, washer pitching tournament, jackpot margarita contest and merchant walk-about in addition to the reason everyone's there: the chili tasting and beer festival! Tickets are available for the chili tasting only ($13 or $15 day of), chili and beer ($40 in advance) and beer fest only ($34 or $38 day of, VIP $50 or $55 day of). Heads up: For four years straight, the beer fest has sold out, so don't hesitate to purchase that ticket today.
Pre-Marathon “Carboholic” Buffet @ Quattro at the Four Seasons
Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.
1300 Lamar
Carb up for Sunday's marathon with a "carboholic buffet." Chef Maurizio Ferrarese has created an entire menu of protein and carbohydrate-rich dishes that runners need — and rightfully crave — before an endurance race. We're talking bread, cheese, potatoes, vegetables and even make-your-own pasta dishes for $32 per person plus tax and gratuity. Indulge in margherita flatbread, Israeli couscous with shrimp and dry fruit, bread panzanella salad with mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes, potato gnocchi with ricotta and akaushi beef bolognese, and bread pudding with vanilla crème anglaise, among other delights.
8th Anniversary Party @ Reserve 101
Saturday, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
1201 Caroline
Celebrate eight years of whiskey awesomeness with live acoustic sets from guitarist Todd Moody of the Ranson Bandits, plus $5 craft cocktail specials all night long. The bar will be featuring cocktails from its new menu, including drinks like The Canadian Tuxedo, a concoction made with Alberta Rye Dark Batch Canadian whisky, Cold Press Katz coffee, Branca Menta, drambuie and Bittercube Blackstrap Bitters.
Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m.
2349 Bissonnet
The dive bar's annual Soul Food Cook Off is a treat for the stomach and the soul. The event benefits College Park Cemetery, an African-American resting place developed during the era of segregation. Pay a cover at the door to get a taste of some of the best home-style soul food in town (drinks are extra). Expect great eats, stiff drinks and fun music by DJ Allan N.
Blacksmith by Night with David Cordua @ Blacksmith
Sunday, 5:01 p.m.
1018 Westheimer
The cult favorite Blacksmith by Night returns with guest chef David Cordúa of Américas (and a few other Houston favorites). The coffee shop closes at 5 p.m. and reopens again at 5:01 p.m. with an incredible à la carte menu, including dishes like lobster campechana, chicken tikka tamale and "porkquaken" — a mushroom-stuffed quail-stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon. The evening is BYOB and you can expect one-night-only coffee and tea pairings that complement Cordúa’s food. Proceeds of this event will benefit Fundación Juventud Lider, a Colombia-based charity with ties in Houston. Desserts will be provided by Araya Chocolate. Reservations are not required.
