5 food and drink events coming up soon in the Twin Cities

Take in traditional food, music, dance and art as Midtown Global Market plays host to the 20th annual Carnaval Brasileiro — Brazilian Carnival — Sat., Feb. 26, from noon until 2 p.m.

Led by Carnaval executive director Robert Everest, the day will showcase the Brazilian group Choro Borealis, samba performances and lessons and traditional Carnaval masks.

But what's a celebration without food? Arepa Bar chef Soleil Ramirez has a special menu, including grouper and mango ceviche, camarones al ajillo (shrimps with garlic and parsley sauce) piña colada parfaits and more.

While this celebration is just for the day, the traditional carnaval is celebrated throughout Brazil for nearly a week as a Mardi Gras-like festivities before Lent begins. (This year that's March 2.) Midtown Global Market is at 920 E. Lake St., Mpls.; go to midtownglobalmarket.org for more information.

Taste Red Locks Irish whiskey, the latest effort from Kieran Folliard, with the man who helped distill it in Ireland.

Master distiller Noel Sweeney and Folliard will discuss their collaboration while you sample the goods on March 1 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Hewing Hotel (300 Washington Av. N., Mpls.). Tickets are $50 and include a neat pour of Red Locks, a cocktail and light appetizers. This is the second collaboration for the two — they worked together on Folliard's 2 Gingers Irish whiskey, which he sold to Beam Suntory.

The Ireland-born Folliard moved to Minneapolis in 1987, and is behind such local establishments as Kieran's Irish Pub, the Local and the Food Building. Red Locks is available at select liquor stores; check availability at redlocks.com.

Sip a variety of wines, spirits, beers and seltzers from across the nation at the 27th annual Food & Wine Experience March 4-6 at Target Field.

More than 100 food-and-drink vendors will be at Target Field's Delta Club Concourse and Truly Club. Other highlights include a Love Your Melon beanie station, a daily raffle to win 50 bottles of wine (all proceeds from the $10 tickets to go M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital), specialty cocktails and more.

The are several admission options for the event, produced by Minnesota Monthly magazine.

Grand Vine Tasting: The high-end event is March 4 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and showcases wines from the best vineyards across the globe. Tickets are $100.

The main event: March 5 and 6 from 1 to 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $90 in advance, $100 at the door. Limited VIP tickets remain for March 6; the $125 tickets ($150 at the door) includes parking, early admission and more.

Bonus wine tastings: At noon on both days, tickets are $10. Saturday's event features the unveiling the tasting of Fetzer's Unrated Cabernet; Sunday's is a blind tasting by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.

Attendees at all events must be 21 or older and masks are required when not eating and drinking. For tickets and more information, go to foodwineexperience.com.

Feel like a road trip? Sand Valley resorts in central Wisconsin is holding its second annual Brews & Brats Weekend March 4-6, featuring regional craft brews, gourmet bratwursts and comfort food, live music and outdoor activities.

Featured breweries include 3 Sheeps Brewing, Founders Brewing, Hinterland Brewery, Milwaukee Brewing Co, Surly Brewing Co, and more. There's a full slate of events for the weekend, including a New Glarus four-course prix-fixe dinner at Aldo's Restaurant ($60) to self-guided beer and brat tastings ($40).

Find tickets and more information here.

Let's Talk Womxn Minneapolis-St. Paul, a group of Twin Cities women restaurateurs, is hosting "Let's Talk & Celebrate," a feast celebrating food and International Women's Day on March 8 from 5-8 p.m. at the Women's Club of Minneapolis (410 Oak Grove St., Mpls.).

The event includes food and cocktail tasting stations from 11 women-owned food businesses from Minneapolis and St. Paul, plus a live panel discussion featuring restaurateurs. And the list of participants reads like a who's who list of Twin Cities area leaders. Co-hosts include Molly Broder of Broders' restaurants, Chef Jametta Raspberry of House of Gristle, restaurateur Kim Bartmann, and Anne Andrus of Honey and Rye. Others at the event include: Ann Ahmed of Khaluna, Desta Klein of Meritage, Lina Goh of Zenbox Izakaya, Susan Dunlop and Joan Schmitt of Joan's in the Park, Linda Holcomb of Gluek's Beer, Christine Dorr Drake of Willa's Heather Jansz of Curry Diva and Stephanie Portillo of Tiny Diner.

Tickets are on a sliding scale, $25-$125. Get them here. For more information on Let's Talk Womxn, go to letstalkwomxn.com.