Chili Quest & Beer Fest @ Galveston’s Strand Friday, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
23rd & Strand Street
On Friday, YAGA’s 6th annual Chili Quest & Beer Fest kicks off with a party at Beerfoot Brewery, 2816 Avenue R 1/2. Then on Saturday, get ready for live music, a 5K fun run/walk, a washer tourney, margarita making and jalapeño eating contests, tons of vendors, beer tasting, chili, chili, and even more chili. Tickets are $12.50 for a chili tasting; $34 for a beer tasting; $41 for a beer and chili combo; and $51 for a premium beer tasting.
7th Anniversary Party @ Reserve 101 Saturday, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
1202 Caroline
Celebrate Reserve 101’s 7th birthday with $7 Makers Mark 46 Old-Fashioneds, with proceeds benefiting Lucky Dog Rescue. They will also be debuting their new barrel-aged cocktail “Get Off My Lawn” — a drink made with four-month ex-bourbon-barrel-aged Monkey Shoulder scotch, Aperol, and Drambule.
Soul Food Cook Off @ Under the Volcano Sunday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
2349 Bissonnet
Bring your taste buds; Under the Volcano’s 5th annual MLK B-day Weekend Soul Food Cook-Off is sure to be delicious. The early fundraiser benefits the College Park Cemetery, one of only three original African-American cemeteries remaining in the city. Come to enjoy live entertainment, prizes, and soul food.
The Cool Kids Table: Carnival Foods @ Bernie’s Burger Bus Sunday, 6:30 p.m.
5407 Bellaire
Reserve your spot at the “greatest Cool Kids Table on Earth” during Bernie’s After Dark Carnival. For $50 per person, you’ll feast on outrageous festival-inspired fare — think bacon-powdered-sugar-dusted funnel cakes with bone marrow-bleu cheese butter; wild boar corn dogs with sour cherry bourbon mustard, candied apple tarts and more.
Oyster Shucking Contest @ Julep Monday, 6 p.m.
1919 Washington
Watch as a mix of customers and industry professionals — including chefs Chris Shepherd, Seth-Siegel Gardner, and Adam “The Otter” Garcia — face-off in an oyster shucking competition that is sure to be intense. The person to shuck a box of 24 oysters the fastest wins. The prize? A bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 20 year that will be delivered to his or her house by an unaffiliated private bourbon collector.
Here’s what Garcia had to say about his most feared opponent, Gardner: “He likes to throw elbows and play dirty. Plus, I don’t use a knife to shuck. I use my bare hands and stomach like an otter. #TeamOtter.”
Oysters will be just $1 from 4 p.m. to midnight, so join in or watch and have the chance for some whiskey. All guests who accurately predict the last shucker standing will split a bottle of Van Winkle Family 10 year to be consumed inside the bar.
This article appears in Jan 15-21, 2015.
