Fall always provides plenty of entertainment options involving food and drink. Oktoberfests proliferate, beer festivals abound, cook-offs pull in competitive cooks and local newspapers owned by national companies try to horn in with their own much-publicized (and expensive) food and wine fun. Here are some things to do this weekend.

Louisville Craft Beer Week – which will last 11 days – has begun, with a Kick-off Party yesterday evening at Parlour, 131 W. Chestnut St, Jeffersonville. Restaurants and breweries will be offering a variety of special beers, food and beer pairings, brewery tours, entertainment, tap takeovers, tastings and seminars. LEO is the primary sponsor of this event; for a full list events, dates and costs, click here.

Slow Food Bluegrass’s 4th Annual Fried Chicken Throwdown will take place Saturday, Oct.21, noon-5 p.m. at ReSurfaced, 319 S. Shelby St. Cash prizes will be awarded in three categories, Best Fried Chicken ($500), Best Vegetarian Side ($250), and Best Dessert ($250).  The judging will be done by the “people’s choice” method: those who buy tickets to taste the samples will vote for their favorite. Admission to the event is free.  Tastes for chicken will be $3 and $2 for dessert and sides.  Voting will be administered by ballot and each attendee will receive one ballot upon entry to the event. The money raised at the Slow Food Fried Chicken Throwdown will go towards Slow Food’s Garden Grant Program which donates funds to local school and community gardens that engage and educate children through hands-on edible education.

And, finally (finally!) Saturday, Oct. 21, 1-4 p.m., is the date of the endlessly-publicized Courier-Journal and Kroger-sponsored Food and Wine Experience out in Norton Commons, 10712 Meeting St. For a mere $85 (in advance, $100 at the gate) for the hoi-polloi ticket (and up to $180 for VIP privileges), one can, according to a press release, “enjoy the Grand Tasting, a gourmet showcase by local chefs, emerging talent and nationally renowned culinary leaders who mix with patrons in a convivial setting.” The events will include cooking demonstrations by local chefs and imported “celebrities,” such as Martha Stewart’s Editorial Director of Food and Entertaining Sarah Carey, and Chicago restaurateur Graham Elliot. Local restaurants participating will be Corbett’s, Jack Fry’s, Silver Dollar, Brasserie Provence and Mercato Italiano.

 If you are eager to go, tickets are available here and here.