Fun events around Sonoma County

Wine Country Q: This Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12, the Fifth Annual Wine Country Big Q takes place at Sonoma Mountain Village (1300 Valley House Dr., Rohnert Park) form 1 to 5 p.m. both days.

This competition is nationally sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, meaning, in part, that pit masters will be taking things very seriously. And if they wow the judges, they’ll wow you, too.

There is more than a single competition. In addition to the official KCBS teams, there will be a sauce competition with three categories; a tailgater team challenge featuring chicken wings and chicken drumettes; a winery beef team challenge; a baked bean challenge; and a bacon dessert challenge.

More than a dozen other vendors will join in the fun and there will be live entertainment both days.

General admission is $45; kids aged 12 and under are $20 and designated drivers pony up $35. A general admission ticket gets your a logo wine glass, four drink tickets and eight food tickets.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Sonoma County Vet Connect, a group of veterans helping veterans secure the services to which their military service entitles them.

Petaluma Art & Garden Festival: On Sunday, July 12, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Petaluma hosts its 14th Annual Art and Garden Festival.

The festival features art, crafts and garden specialists, a children’s corner, a chalk art competition and live music on two stages.

Dozens of beverage and food vendors will participate, too. Highlights include local cider, beer, mead, wine and specialties cocktails from Sonoma Coast Spirits. When it comes to food, expect chicken sliders and satay, pizza, paella, barbecued ribs, pork slivers, yellow tail and watermelon salad, curries, and more, including plenty of desserts.

It all takes place at Fourth and Kentucky streets in downtown Petaluma.

Yappy Hour: If your pampered pooch is feeling out of sorts because of all the no-dogs-allowed restriction, calm him or her down this Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Mutt Lynch Winery’s Yappy Hour (9050 Windsor Rd., Windsor).

For $10, you’ll slip a flight of wines and nibble appetizers while your pup enjoys a gourmet biscuit or two.

All proceeds benefit the Sonoma Humane Society.

Something for kids: On Saturday, Cotati hosts its annual Kids’ Day Parade and Festival.

Things get started at 7 a.m. at Church of the Oaks (185 Page St.), where a free pancake breakfast will be served until 9 a.m.

The parade steps off at 10 a.m. and the fun continues through 2 p.m. at La Plaza Park in downtown Cotati. The festival features games, food booths, pony rides, arts and crafts, entertainment and more.

Admission is free.

Vive La France! Next Tuesday, July 14, Costeaux French Bakery (417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 433-1913 hosts its annual Bastille Day fete, with French-inspired fun throughout the day.

Activities include Eiffel Tower cookie decorating and mustache face painting for kids; petanque using bread boules; pastry demonstrations and appearances by Due Zighi Bachi, Oooh La La Can-Can Dancers and, of course, Marie Antoinette.

Special wines and foods, including escargots, will be offered throughout the day. Expect surprises, too.

If you want to get started a bit early, celebrate on Saturday, July 11, at Chateau St. Jean (8555 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood), when the fabulous Baguette Quartet will entertain you throughout the day, with a special presentation by can-can dancers.

Wine, including a new Burgundy tasting flight, and foods, featuring crepes from Ultra Crepes, will be available for purchase. Admission is free and reservations are not required.

Dine and donate: Next Wednesday, July 15, Hop Monk Tavern (230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol) hosts an all-day “Dine and Donate” fundraiser for the humane society. The tavern will donate 20 percent of all food sales to the organization.

Hop Monk is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and your four-legged friends are welcome to dine with you on the patio.

Reservations are highly recommended; make yours by calling 829-7300.?

Teriyaki Time! On Sunday, July 12, the Enmanji Temple hosts its 61st Annual Teriyaki Barbecue and Bazaar, one of summer’s most anticipated events. People come from throughout the Bay Area to attend what is known, among Bay Area Japanese communities, as the “grandfather of teriyaki barbecues.”

The main event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., during which time thousands of teriyaki chicken lunches will be served, along with other Japanese specialties, including the popular imagawa yaki, a small, pancake-like pastry filled with sweet red bean puree and cooked to order. Fans leave with boxes filled with the hot sweet treats.

Box lunches can be purchased at a pick-up window just west of the main fete on Elphick Rd. starting at 8 a.m.

Throughout the day, there will be martial arts and Japanese dance and musical performances by Sonoma County Taiko. There is also a plant sale, a bonsai display, a flower arranging demonstration and sale, games and other activities for kids, a drawing for $1000 cash as the top prize, bingo and more.

The temple celebrates its 81st anniversary this year and there are tours of the temple throughout the day. Proceeds from Teriyaki Sunday support the temple and its activities.

Enmanji Temple is at 1200 Gravenstein Highway South in Sebastopol.

Aloha Alert: On Saturday, July 25, Carol Shelton Wines hosts its Fourth Annual Luau from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In previous years, reservations have been snapped up quickly so, if you want to join in, snag a spot soon.

This year’s menu features kalua pig, Kalbi short ribs, Shoyu chicken, potato mac salad and, but of course, Spam fried rice. There will be a contest for best hula dancer and guests are encouraged to wear their finest island attire.

Cost is $20 per person for wine club members and $40 for the general public. All attendees must be 21 or older and pets are not welcome. Make your reservations by July 17 by calling 575-3441 or emailing wines@carolshelton.com.

Musical Healdsburg: Every Wednesday evening in July from 6:30 to 9 p.m., John Youngblood and Alan Cohen perform their personal blend of acoustic blues and Americana on the patio at Mateo’s Cucina Latina (214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg).

Coming up next Thursday, July 16, the duo will head to Shed (25 North St.) to entertain from 5:30 to 7 p.m., which you can enjoy a pizza, salad and other nibbles and sips.

Michele Anna Jordan has written 21 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.