Top 5 Weekend Food Events: Oktoberfest, Taste of Taiwan, GOOD Food Festival, KCRW Pie Contest, Pig Parts and Beer

Guzzle & Nosh

It's always a party when you bring out the pig's head.

Farid Zadi's 2nd annual couscous festival, originally scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled (of cous, it was) as the chef is in the process of opening his first restaurant, but you can still head out to Arcadia for the Greek Fest, which is maybe a teensy bit similar. Or you can check out these five events.

Oktoberfest
Confusingly for Americans, Oktoberfest begins in September, kicking off at 2 p.m. on Saturday when German Consul, Michael Ott, taps the restaurant's ceremonial Oktoberfest. keg. The ping pong room becomes a beer "tent" with communal picnic tables and benches, while the restaurant dishes out daily food and drink specials (details will be posted on their Facebook page). Listen for live music on Fridays and Saturdays.
When: Sep. 17 - October 8
Where: Wirtshaus
Cost: Free entry

Taste of Taiwan
This inaugural cultural festival marks the centennial of the Republic of China's break from the Qing Dynasty and conveniently offers a primer on Taiwanese food for the har gow naif. Don't expect stinky tofu, but you will find tamer fare like boba tea, sweet Taiwanese sausages and popcorn chicken. Why isn't it called potato chip chicken? That's a deep-fried enigma best answered by the Taiwanese food experts at the event.
When: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sep. - 17 - 18
Where: Kodak Theatre
Cost: Free

GOOD Food Festival
Is it a wee bit strange for event organizers to throw a food festival that shares a name but does not seem to be officially affiliated with the most prominent food-themed radio show in the city on the same weekend that the aforementioned radio show is throwing its own pie festival? Not in the least. Bizarre planning decisions aside, this GOOD Food festival celebrates 30 years of the Santa Monica Farmers Market with four days of panels, symposiums, a gala dinner and a street fair. (Events overview here.)
When: Sep. 14 - 18
Where: Santa Monica, various locations
Cost: varies

Good Food Pie Contest
KCRW's third annual pie bake-off, which features our own Jonathan Gold as a judge, this year includes a new category. In addition to the standard fruit, nut, savory and cream/chiffon/mousse divisions, there's a Tim Burton-themed division. Bonus points to anyone who doesn't make a meat pie out of human flesh.
When: 2 - 4 p.m., Sep. 18
Where: LACMA
Cost: Free

Pig Parts and Beer
Co-organized by food blogger Abby Abanes of Pleasure Palate, this is a Filipino pork and beer pairing. Need we say more?
When: 5:30 - 8:30 p.m., Sep. 18
Where: Eagle Rock/Glendale area (Details on the events page)
Cost: $35 (This event must be pre-paid. Buy tix on the events page.)