5 upcoming Twin Cities area events for your culinary calendar

Project Black and Blue, a charitable wing of the local company Craftmade Aprons, is hosting its first Black and Blue Ball on Oct. 16 and pulling in some major talent for the event. Held at the Mall of America's Radisson Blu, the evening will see chef Justin Sutherland acting as emcee along with food from local chefs Christina Nguyen of Hola Arepa and Hai Hai and Nettie Colon of Red Hen Gastrolab as well as "Top Chef" alums Eddie Konrad from Laurel in Philadelphia; Kevin Scharpf of Brazen in Dubuque, Iowa; and Brian Young of Dear in Cincinnati. Tickets for the evening, which starts at 5 p.m., range from $150 to $750 for a VIP experience and a stay at the hotel. Get yours at projectblackandblue.org.

Fair State Brewing (2600 Central Av. NE., Mpls., fairstate.coop) is holding its eighth annual Co-optoberfest, celebrating its anniversary and Oktoberfest, on Oct. 1 from 1-10 p.m. There will be returning beer releases, a birthday cake hard seltzer, pretzels, polkas and more.

And while you're in the Fair State frame of mind, the brewery is releasing three new beers on Oct. 6 — Dad Hat Amber Ale, Eternal Shrug black IPA and Who Touched the Thermostat?! West Coast IPA. They'll be on tap and in four-packs that day, and in Minnesota liquor stores in October.

Enjoy live music, food and drinks from Borough and Parlour — including the Parlour Burger — at the Borough Block Party Oct. 1 from 1-10 p.m. The event is all ages (and dog-friendly). Join the fun at 730 Washington Av. N., Mpls., boroughmpls.com.

Omni Brewing and Maple Grove Parks and Recreation are teaming up to throw a free event celebrating all things fall — Harvest-Tober Fest — Oct. 8 from 4-9 p.m. at the city's Central Park (12000 Central Park Way, maplegrovemn.gov). Live music will add to the festivities, and locally brewed beer and food truck fare will be available for purchase.

Tattersall Distilling is taking Oktoberfest to its River Falls, Wis., location (1777 Paulson Road, tattersalldistilling.com) and will feature a new release — Bier Schnapps — made in collaboration with Surly Brewing.

The party is Oct. 15 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and also includes a German-themed buffet with sauerbraten, brats and kraut, chicken schnitzel, German potato salad, potato knodel, reisfleisch, braised cabbage with apples, roasted kohlrabi and more. Tickets are $50 for adults, $20 for kids, and include live music and the German buffet. Buy them at bit.ly/3LI0W8M.