FOOD & DINING

15 food festivals in metro Phoenix through spring

The Republic | azcentral.com

With temperatures warming up, it's the perfect time of year to spend outside. For the food lovers out there, here's a list of upcoming food festivals coming your way.

Salsa samples served during the Salsa Festival, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011.

Through 2/21: Arizona Cocktail Week

Mix and shake up your week while celebrating the craft of the cocktail throughout the Valley. The event features seminars, a cocktail carnival and market, ladies-only events, a celebrity chef/mixologist storytelling dinner and much more. A wide variety of events, prices and locations such as the Culinary Dropout, Olive & Ivy and the Arrogant Butcher create the annual event.

Details: Various times Feb. 14-21. Various locations. $10-$299. 602-633-5357, arizonacocktailweek.com.

— Ashley Whalen

2/28-3/1: Grub in the Grove

Get ready for tasty treats as food trucks roll into town over the weekend. The event features live music, grove games and tours. Enjoy dishes from the Maine Lobster Lady, Aioli Burgers, the Grilled Cheese Truck, Queso Good and more. Check out the complete food truck vendor list online.

Details: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 28-March 1. Queen Creek Olive Mill, 25062 S. Meridian Road. Free, plus the cost of food and beverage. 480-888-9290, queencreekolivemill.com.

— Ashley Whalen

3/7-8: 17th Annual Litchfield Art and Culinary Festival

Combining a feast for the taste buds as well as the eyes, this festival takes place in a relaxed resort community with authentic Southwest warmth and charm. Sample great food and wines while taking in the work of more than 250 artists, some of whom will be on-site. This event takes place along tree-lined walkways with lush gardens, charming cafes and live music, creating an artisan's village atmosphere.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8. Downtown Litchfield Park, Litchfield Road and Wigwam Boulevard. Free. 623-734-6526, vermillionpromotions.com/festivals/17th-LPAC.php.

3/7-8: My Nana's Salsa Challenge

The two-day festival features more than a 100 freshly made salsas. Attendees can enjoy live music, beer and margaritas while tasting a variety of salsas and voting for their favorite salsa chef.

Details: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $12 online until Saturday, Feb. 28; $15 at gate; $55 for VIP; free for age 12 or younger. 602-955-3947, salsachallenge.com.

— Ashley Whalen

3/13-15: 11th Annual Fountain Hills Fine Art and Wine Affaire

Enjoy art, wine and live music against the backdrop of Four Peaks and the Superstition and McDowell mountains. This juried fine-art event includes the 3D geometric designs of Kyle Osvog and abstract paintings of Carol Klimek. Take time to visit the surrounding specialty shops, which include boutiques, restaurants and outdoor cafes. Watch the fountain go off every hour shooting water as high as 560 feet.

Details: March 13-15. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. 16810 E. Avenue of the Fountains. $3. 480-837-5637, thunderbirdartists.com/fountain-hills.

— Linda Peters

3/21: Great American Barbecue and Beer Festival

A casual backyard-barbecue atmosphere permeates at the Great American Barbecue and Beer Festival in Chandler. Daring visitors can try to outdo each other in brat-, ribs-, wings- and pie-eating contests, and fans of barbecue will find delights from 60 skilled pit masters. The Eli Young Band, best known for No. 1 hits "Crazy Girl" and "Even If It Breaks Your Heart," headline. You'll also find the Chester's Harley-Davidson Pavilion, an expanded kids zone, a battle-of-the-bands competition, a rodeo area, a throw-down contest, 200 beer kegs from Chandler's SanTan Brewing Co. and a tailgaters lawn.

Details: Noon-10 p.m. Saturday, March 21. Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, 3 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler. $10 pre-sale at Bashas'; $12 presale online; $15 at the gate; free for age 12 or younger. $125 presale VIP tickets include six alcoholic beverages, unlimited soda and water, catered food, a VIP gift bag, private restrooms and front-row seating. 602-276-2499, chandlerbbq.com.

— Laura Latzko

3/27: Agave on the Rocks

Wet your whistle while celebrating Sonoran roots at the DBG. The evening event features cuisine prepared by Valley restaurants, margaritas and a tequila-sampling station. Live entertainment will be provided by DJ Seduce, Grupo Liberdade, SambAZ Dancers and others.

Details: 6-10 p.m. Friday, March 27. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. $75; $70 for members. 480-481-8188, dbg.org.

— Ashley Whalen

3/28: Salsa Festival

Local salsa makers and chefs bring out their best hot, mild or unusual salsas to try to win the $1,000 overall, $500 first-place, $150 second-place or $50 third-place prizes. From 3 to 5 p.m., salsa lovers have the chance to sample and vote on their favorite salsas. Latin, Cuban and Mexican bands and dance troupes from around the Valley add their old-school and contemporary flavors to the festival. A children's area with inflatable rides, roaming stilt walkers, a beer garden and a vendor village with craft artists provide more to do and see.

Details: 3-7 p.m. Saturday, March 28. Copper Sky Regional Park, 44345 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Maricopa. $5 for onsite parking; $1 per voting packet for People's Choice competition; $5 for age 3 or older for unlimited playtime in Little Pepper Zone. Free shuttles from local elementary schools, maricopa-az.gov/web/salsa-festival.

— Laura Latzko

3/29: Bon Vivant

Now in its 29th year, Bon Vivant will feature samples from some of the Valley's finest restaurants, wine and beer tastings, and live music from Elvis Before Noon, Walt Richardson and Laura Walsh.

Details: 6-9 p.m. Sunday, March 29. Tempe Marketplace, Loop 202 and McClintock Avenue. $75; $65 before March 27; on sale Feb. 9. 480-820-3688, clubzona.org/bon-vivant.

— Michael Senft

4/4: Wingstock

This event brings live music, entertainment and poultry together for a day of fun. Valley restaurants such as ATL Wings, Diamond's Sports Grille and Cogburn's Big Wings showcase their best chicken-wing recipes and compete for the title of "Wingstock King of Wings." Additional contests, music, beer, an egg hunt and more will be part of the day's event.

Details: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. April 4. Mesa Amphitheatre, 263 N. Center St. $5 in advance; $8 day-of; free for age 10 or younger; $3-$10 for wing coupons. 480-644-2178, wingstockaz.com.

— Ashley Whalen

4/7-12: Scottsdale Culinary Fest

Scottsdale turns into foodie central for this annual smorgasbord of gourmet goodies. Enjoy a variety of events, from black-tie galas to family-friendly picnics throughout the East Valley. Events include the Great Arizona Picnic, the Chocolate and Wine Experience, the Burger Battle and the Epicurean Expo. Locations vary; proceeds benefit the Scottsdale League for the Arts.

Details: Various times,Tuesday-Sunday, April 7-12. Scottsdale Civic Center, 7375 E. Second St., and other locations. Prices vary by event. 480-945-7193, scottsdalefest.org.

— Michael Senft

4/11: Flavors of the West

Eat, drink and mingle at the annual event featuring more than 35 local restaurants, a beer garden and kids zone. The event includes live music, a locally grown zone and pet-friendly area.

Details: Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, April 11. Goodyear Ballpark, 1933 S. Ballpark Way. $25; $100 for VIP. 480-250-8378, flavorsaz.com.

— Ashley Whalen

4/18: The Great Arizona Beer Festival

Sample suds from more than 50 brewers from around the globe. There will be more than 200 varieties of beer on tap so you are certain to find something to suit your palate, be it an over-hopped IPA or a chewy, malty chocolate porter. Proceeds benefit Sun Sounds of Arizona.

Details: 5- 9 p.m. Saturday, April 18. Sloan Park, 2330 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Mesa. $45-$85, Designated driver $10-$15. 480-774-8300, azbeer.com.

— Michael Senft

5/2: Arizona BBQ Festival

The fifth annual festival takes things to another level with the Redneck Arena's toilet-seat horseshoes, a dead-lawn mower race, a watermelon-seed-spitting contest, hubcap hurling, keg rolling and bobbing for pigs feet. Live wrestling, a vodka-lemonade party tent; eating contests; a bacon zone; and live bluegrass, country and rock-and-roll bands enhance the honky-tonk spirit. A kids zone offers bounce houses, face painters and balloon artists. Dress in your best country duds or groom appropriately for pageants dedicated to mullets, celebrity look-alikes, Daisy Dukes and facial hair. Pit masters from around the Valley will sell barbecued chicken, pork, brisket, vegetables and ribs, as well as cornbread, grilled corn and baked beans.

Details: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Salt River Reservation. $12; $60 for VIP tickets; free for age 12 or younger. VIP tickets come with six beverages; snack food; access to private restrooms and bar; and VIP seating. azbbqfestival.com.

— Laura Latzko

5/16: 2015 AmeriCAN Canned Craft Beer Festival

Blame the hipsters and their PBRs, but canned beer is cool now. San Tan Brewing Co. presents this celebration of beer in aluminum, which features more 250 craft brews from around the world, all served in recyclable cans. Local bands Dry River Yacht Club and Sugar Thieves will provide entertainment as you sample these suds.

Details: 1-6 p.m. Saturday, May 16. Scottsdale Civic Center, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. $35-$100. 602-276-2499, cannedcraftbeerfest.com.

— Michael Senft