Mouthful: Fun events around Sonoma County

Bodega Seafood Fest: One of summer’s last big fetes takes place this weekend at Watts Ranch in Bodega from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Admission prices range from $8 in advance for those aged 12 to 18 to $15 for adults at the gate, with several prices in between. Parking is ample and free.

Saturday entertainment highlights include David Luning Band at 11 a.m.; Sebastopol Ballet School at 1 p.m. and Caravanserai, a Santana tribute band, at 4:45 p.m. Sunday highlights include It’s a Beautiful Day at 1 p.m. and Dgiin at 3 p.m.

New this year is a food stage, featuring carving and cooking demonstrations.

There is quite an array of foods at this year’s fete. Barbecued oysters, clam chowder, oyster cocktails, fish tacos, dolmas, grilled figs, fish and chips, crab garlic fries, salmon burgers, prawn curry, pizza, Hawaiian crepes, Creole-style seafood gumbo and shrimp Louie are just a handful of what will be available to quell your hunger. Your thirst will be quenched by several dozen wineries and breweries. Food prices range from $6 to $15 for each entree. For $20, guests receive a commemorative glass and six tasting tickets for beer and wine. Additional tickets are $2 each. Single glasses are available for $8 each.

If you have not been to the festival in a while, please note that dogs are no longer allowed.

For a complete schedule of entertainment and list of vendors and to purchase advance tickets, visit bodegaseafoodfestival.com.

If you don’t eat your fill at the festival, you can always opt for dinner at the nearby Casino Bar & Grill (17000 Bodega Highway, Bodega), where chef Mark Malicki will be serving supper on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening with lots of seafood options, including oysters on the half shell; peel-and-eat Gulf shrimp cocktail with green Hatch chilies; black cod and clam chowder; ocean trout tartare; brook trout with corn pudding, smoked almonds and peaches and, for dessert, chocolate éclairs. Options for non-seafood-lovers include mac’n’cheese, heirloom tomatoes with whipped burrata and skirt steak au poivre.

Supper service is typically from 5 until 9 p.m., unless things sell out earlier. You can always call 876-3185 to make sure you’ll be fed.

Oysters & Paella: On Friday, Sept. 4, Villa Chanticleer (900 Chantecleer Way, Healdsburg) hosts the Twice as Good Paella Feast, a benefit for the American Legion Annual Fireworks Event and Youth Programs.

Things get started with an oyster bar, drink bar and live music by the band “Twice As Good” at 5:30 p.m. Paella service will begin sometime between 6 and 7 p.m. Music will continue through 9:30 p.m..

Admission for adults is $40, which includes one alcoholic drink and all-you-can-eat vegetarian or Valencia paella. Kids aged 4 to 12 pay $25 and kids 4 and under are free, as are sodas and water. Oyster bar tickets are $20 per dozen of barbecued oysters. Additional drink tickets are $5 each.

The evening’s feast will be prepared by chef Chris Harman of Fig & Vine, the facility’s in-house caterer, with help from volunteers from the Healdsburg American Legion Post 111. Oysters come from Starbird Mariculture of Tomales Bay.

Block Party at Marimar: On Saturday, August 29, from 4 to 7 p.m. Marimar Estates (11300 Graton Rd., Sebastopol) is hosting a Block Party. From 4 to 6 p.m., there will be tours of the Don Miguel Vineyard, with tastings from the vineyard’s wines. Tours take place on the half hour.

Before and after your tour, you can relax with live music. Feel bring to bring along a picnic to enjoy while you listen.

Admission is $25 per person. Tickets can be purchased at marimarestate-blockparty.eventbrite.com.

For more information about the winery, including upcoming events, visit marimarestate.com.

Hookah Lounge, Henna & More: This weekend, St. George Orthodox Church (7311 College View Dr., Rohnert Park) hosts its 9th Annual Greek & Middle Eastern Food Festival. Things take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days.

Highlights include a huge array of foods, with hummus, falafel, shawerma, pastries and so much more. There also will be beer on tap, a hookah lounge, an international marketplace, a kids corner, a henna tattoo booth and traditional folk dancing throughout the festival.

Admission and entertainment are free but bring plenty of cash so you can nibble your way through all the deliciousness.

Bodega Land Trust Walks & Talks: This Saturday, August 29, Bodega Land Trust and the Salmon Creek Watershed Council host “Coho, Steelhead, and People in Deepening Drought,” a presentation, discussion and workshop at Salmon Creek School (935 Bohemian Highway, Occidental).

Things get started at 10 a.m. From 10:20 to 11 a.m., Cleo Woelfle will present the results of a three-year study on the Fay and Tannery creeks. After questions, there will be a coffee break and an opportunity to sign up for a variety of volunteer activities.

Following the break, will be a discussion of the direction of upcoming research and watershed recovery efforts and a demonstration of water quality and stream monitoring techniques.

Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for kids. To sign up, email walks@bodegalandtrust.org.

Unleash Your Inner Artist: You’ve got to hand it to D’Argenzio Winery (1301 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa) for their inventive ways of coaxing visitors to their winery.

This Saturday, for example, the winery is hosting “My Painting Party, Einstein.” From 5 to 8 p.m., guests are invited to paint everyone’s favorite life-changing physicist, Albert Einstein. Participants will be given a pre-sketch, along with all necessary art materials. No previous painting experience is necessary and you’ll be lead through each step in the process.

All the while, there will be a cash bar and pizza available for purchase.

Cost to participate is $40 per person. For tickets, visit dargenziowine.com and follow the prompts.

This is the final Saturday of a four-week series this month.

For more information about these parties, visit mypaintingparty.net.

Friday Night Cooking Class: This Friday, August 28, chef Phant (pronounced “pon”) Worakul is offering a cooking class at Odd Fellows Hall Kitchen (545 Pacific Ave., Santa Rosa) from 7 to 10 p.m.

The class includes wine pairings featuring a local winery, along with demonstrations of the techniques of Thai home cooking and lots of samples.

Cost is $75 per person for individuals and $140 for couples. For tickets, visit sroddfellowshall.com and follow the prompts.

For more information about Chef Phant’s classes and other culinary services, visit thaiessence.com.

Reservations Open at The Fork: The Fork, the cooking school and dinner venue at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, is now taking reservations for events from October through December. These events, especially the farm dinners, sell out quickly so if you want to participate check it out soon. Some of the events have already sold out since reservations opened on Wednesday.

Farm dinners will take place on Oct. 15, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17, with a farm brunch on Oct, 24. Classes will be held on Nov. 6 and 13 and Dec. 4 and 11.

For complete details, pricing and to make a reservation, visit theforkatpointreyes.com.

Michele Anna Jordan has written 24 books to date, including the new “Good Cook’s” series. Email Jordan at michele@saladdresser.com. You’ll find her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.