Culinary Calendar

Have Your Cake and Seniors Eat, Too - Dessert auction presented by Mid-City Concerns and Spokane Meals on Wheels. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and no-host bar. Each winning bidder for items will receive a correspondent dessert item made especially to go with the item. Proceeds benefit services to low income seniors (i.e., hot, nutritious meals, exercise classes, prescriptions, etc.). Thursday. 5:30 p.m., Northern Quest Casino, 100 N. Hayford Road, Airway Heights. $35. (509) 232-0864.

Hope for A Wild Future Dinner and Auction - Benefits Conservation Northwest’s work keeping the Northwest wild, from the Washington Coast to the British Columbia Rockies. Sparkling wine reception and hors d’oeuvres, silent and live auctions, live music. Dinner, fine wines and specialty desserts. Keynote address by wilderness champion Brock Evans. Register online at www.conservationnw.org/about/ spokane-auction. Thursday. 6-9:30 p.m., Davenport Hotel, 10 S. Post St. $70. (509) 747-1663 or (800) 878-9950, ext. 18.

Soul Fest Luncheon - Menu includes fried chicken, cornbread, green beans, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and peach cobbler. Thursday. Noon-2 p.m., East Central Senior Center, 500 S. Stone St. Free, donations accepted. (509) 625-6693, for reservations.

Hawaiian Luau - Happy hour 5:30 p.m., dinner and dancing 6:30. Menu consists of Hawaiian chicken, Oriental rice, yam souffle and tropical cake. Friday. Sons of Norway Tordenskjord Lodge, 6710 N. Country Homes Blvd. $9. Reservations required. (509) 326-9211.

Hispanic Heritage Dinner and Dance - Hosted by Stephanie Vigil. In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, with ethnic cuisine and salsa music. Music by Cambalache. Friday. 6 p.m., Northern Quest Casino, Pend Oreille Pavilion, 100 N. Hayford Road, Airway Heights. $32.50. (509) 459-5268 or 325-SEAT.

Post Falls Historical Society’s Octoberfest - Music and dancing, raffle, auction, food and beer. Dinner served 4:30-7:30 p.m. Friday. 4:30-7:30 p.m., Q’emiln Riverside Park Pavilion (covered and heated), Post Falls. Advance: $8/adults, $6/seniors and children age 12 and younger; at the gate: $10/adults, $7/children. (208) 262-6533.

Pruneville Harvest Festival - A fun mix of music and comedy. Social hour at 5 p.m., dinner and show at 6. Dinner by Luigi’s Express consists of pork tenderloin with plum sauce, mashed potatoes, choice of Caesar or chef salad and homemade huckleberry ice cream. Reservations required. Friday. Southside Senior Activity and Community Center, 3151 E. 27th Ave. $12. (509) 535-0803.

Signature Chefs Auction - The March of Dimes Inland Northwest Chapter along with Spokane’s best restaurants present this second annual event combining signature food tasting with the excitement of a live and silent auction. Experience signature cuisines, sip fine wines and bid on unique auction packages prepared by each of the chefs involved. Proceeds benefit March of Dimes campaign to reduce the rate of premature births, birth defects and other serious threats to babies’ health. Friday. 6:30 p.m., Davenport Hotel, 10 S. Post St. $150. (509) 328-1920.

Silent Auction and Wine Tasting - Opening reception with silent auction and wine tasting for the 2007 Spokane Valley Studio Tour of artists studios. Friday. 6-9 p.m., Mirabeau Park Hotel, 1100 N. Sullivan Road. $10 at the door. (509) 710-0362.

“Taste of Two Worlds” Wine Festival - Presented by Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes. Over 30 wines from Europe and the West Coast. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres by Metro Cafe. Saturday. 7-10 p.m., 1115 W. Riverside Ave. $50/adults, $35/seniors age 65 and older. (509) 358-4290.

“Tip-A-Cop” Fundraiser - Washington state police officers will trade their handcuffs for aprons to raise tips for the annual event benefiting Special Olympics Washington athletes. The tips earned by officers are tax deductible, and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit the athletes providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Saturday. Noon-8 p.m., Red Robin locations at Spokane Valley Mall, downtown Spokane and Newport Highway. (206) 362-4949, ext. 218.

Apple Festival at Green Bluff - Large variety of apples, fresh pressed cider and pumpkins. Live music, food, craft booths, antiques, farm mazes and animals. Saturdays-Sundays, through Oct. 28. Green Bluff, 15 minutes north of Spokane.

Oktoberfest - Presented by the German-American Society of Spokane. Enjoy imported beer and wine, traditional Oktoberfest food, dancing, and music by Good-N-Plenty and the Concordia Choir. Entertainment will also be provided by the Tirolian Dancers of Portland. Reservations are encouraged. Age 21 and older. Saturday. 6 p.m., Deutsches Haus, 25 W. Third Ave. Admission $10, not including food and drinks. (509) 325-1113.

Tux and Tails Dinner and Auction - Companion animal charity benefit, raising funds for the Spokane Humane Society. Enjoy a dinner menu paired with a wine for each course, arranged by award-winning executive chef Ray Delfino. The auction includes 30 bottles of Dog Lovers Wine Club wine with commemorative wine labels. Saturday. 6 p.m., Spokane Athletic Club, 1002 W. Riverside Ave. $75, corporate sponsorships also available. (509) 467-5235 ext. 22.

Salmon Nation: A Celebration of Wheat, Wine and Wild Salmon - Join commercial fishermen, farmers and local food enthusiasts for a celebration of food sourced from our region’s backyards, fields and rivers. Chef David Hill’s feast will feature sustainable wild-caught marbled salmon, eastern Washington wheat, local wines and heritage fruits and vegetables. Reception at 6 p.m., dinner at 7. Tuesday. Hills’ Restaurant, 401 W. Main Ave. $40. Reservations required. (509) 747-2030.

Schug Carneros Estate Wine Dinner - Six-course dinner with wine. Reservations required. Oct. 3. 7 p.m., Max at Mirabeau Park Hotel, I-90 at Sullivan Road. $115, includes tax and gratuity. (509) 922-6252.

“A Little Night Music” Fundraiser - Fabulous food, fine wine, dessert auction and live music by Emerson. To benefit Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant. Oct. 6. 5:30-9:30 p.m., Sacred Heart Medical Center, Providence Auditorium. $50. (509) 324-1995.

Elks Children’s Therapy Dinner - Menu of chicken fried steak and a sock hop. Proceeds go to the Therapy Program. Presentation by a therapist at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Reservations needed by Oct. 3. Oct. 6. Elks Lodge, 2605 N. Robie Road. $7.50. (509) 926-2328.

Festa Italiana - Enjoy live family entertainment, mouth-watering food, cooking demonstrations, a wine and beer garden, “Italian Idol” Karaoke Singing Contest, artisan and business booths, “Mercantino” (little market) farmers’ market, Spokane Italian Car Club show and the Bolla Grape Stomp Contest. Free hands-on activities for children along with carnival booth games and jumping castles. Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Oct. 7, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 6 - 7. Kootenai County Fairgrounds, 4056 N. Government Way, Coeur d’Alene. Free admission; parking is $1, proceeds benefit local youth/school groups. (208) 773-8522.

Elks Breakfast - Have all-you-can-eat breakfast with the officers. Oct. 7. 9-11 a.m., Elks Lodge, 2605 N. Robie Road. $5. (509) 926-2328.

Pancake Breakfast - Menu consists of scrambled eggs, eggs Benedict, sausage, juice, coffee and all-you-can-eat pancakes. Music by Mountain Musicians. Oct. 7. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Sons of Norway Tordenskjord Lodge, 6710 N. Country Homes Blvd. $4.50/adults, $2.50/age five and younger. (509) 326-9211.

Spaghetti Dinner - Annual event. Oct. 7. Noon-6 p.m., Mary Queen Parish, 3423 E. Carlisle Ave. $7/adults, $4/children ages 6-12. (509) 483-4384.

The Bishop’s Poor Man’s Meal - Soup and bread lunch, open house and tours. Proceeds benefit the Emergency Winter Sleeping Program. Oct. 7. Noon-2 p.m., House of Charity, 32 W. Pacific Ave. $10/person, $30/family. (509) 38-4254.

25th Annual YWCA Women of Achievement Luncheon - With keynote speaker actress Alfre Woodward, most recently seen on “Desperate Housewives.” Proceeds benefit the YWCA of Spokane. Oct. 9. Noon, Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. $125. (509) 326-1190, ext. 154.

Oktoberfest - Happy hour 5:30 p.m., dinner and dancing at 6:30. Menu consists of Schnitzel, red cabbage, spaetzle, gravy and peach kuchen, serving authentic Bavarian wine and beer tasting. Oct. 12. Sons of Norway Tordenskjord Lodge, 6710 N. Country Homes Blvd. $12.50. Reservations required by Oct. 11. (509) 326-9211.