A la carte: Welcome fall with these food and wine events around Sonoma County

SONOMA

Valley of the Moon festival, gala

The 121st annual Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival will kick off at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 with an opening night gala at the Sonoma Barracks, featuring tapas, wine and dancing under the stars.

The fun continues through the weekend on Sonoma Plaza with a parade, wine tasting, grape stomp, live music and foot races.

For more information on how to enter and get tickets, go to valleyofthemoonvintagefestival.com.

PETALUMA

Azari Vineyards to hold benefit

Kaveh Azari, co-owner of Azari Vineyards, will hold a benefit lunch for victims of the October fires from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Petaluma winery.

The feast includes wood-fired pizza, salads donated by Lombardi's Gourmet Deli and BBQ and wines from Azari Vineyards. There will be live music and a silent auction. The Azaris also have created a wine, Rebuild Red ($18), whose partial proceeds will be donated to Rebuild Wine Country. The winery is located at 1399 Spring Hill Road and carpooling is recommended. For tickets or to order the wine, go to azarivineyards.com and look for Wildfire Benefit.

SEBASTOPOL

Join Nancy Drew-themed tea party

Muir's Tea Room will hold a special Nancy Drew Mystery Tea Party at 5 p.m. Saturday at the plant-based Scottish tea room.

Guest speaker Anne Marie Insull, an English teacher at the Santa Rosa Junior college, will travel back in time to talk about the famous female sleuth. There also will be mystery games and favors.

All menu items will be inspired by Nancy Drew, including George Fayne's Un-Tuna Sandwich and Bess Marvin's Mock Meatballs in Marinara. 330 S. Main St. muirstearoom.com

SANTA ROSA

Free nachos at Bibi's on game day

During football season, Bibi's Burger Bar will serve free nachos with the purchase of one beverage during any of the San Francisco 49ers games.

Everyone is welcome and is encouraged to return throughout the season. Bibi's Burger Bar is an open-air restaurant serving burgers, beer and more at lunch or after work. 630 Third St. bibisburgerbar.com

PENNGROVE

Wind & Rye offers cooking classes

Wind & Rye Kitchen is offering a new series of cooking classes this fall plus a first-time Harvest Dinner and Farm Tour.

Step up your home cooking at 6 p.m. Oct. 3 with Sophisticated Sauces taught by chef and owner Daniel Kedan of Backyard Restaurant in Forestville. Cost is $120, including drinks and dinner.

The kitchen will host its first Fall Harvest Dinner and Farm tour with Coyote Family Farms and Chef Kedan from 4 to 10 p.m. Oct. 14. Cost is $140, including tour, cocktails and snacks and family-style dinner.

A Kid's Cake Decorating workshop will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 20 for $110, and Homemade Halloween Treats from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 24 for $140.

To get ready for the winter, you can also take a class on Elevated Stocks and Bone Broths at 6 p.m. Oct. 4 for $120.

For reservations or more information, go to windandrye.com

SANTA ROSA

Sign-up deadline for paella cook-off

The deadline is tomorrow to sign up to compete in Gerard's inaugural Paella Festival and Cook-off, scheduled for Oct.7 as part of the Sonoma Vita weekend (with Levi's GranFondo) in downtown Santa Rosa.

The inaugural cook-off will feature a judging panel led by Gerard Nebesky, chef/owner of Gerard's Paella Y Tapas in Santa Rosa, and prizes for the winners. The five-person teams will be supplied with a tented cooking area, 52-inch pans, burners, propane and cooking tools.

Attendees will be invited to taste and vote. The first-, second- and third-place winners will receive awards and prize packages. To register, go to gerardspaella.com. For more information on the weekend festivities, go to sonomavita.com.

HEALDSBURG

Taste top cheeses from competition

Cheese expert Janet Fletcher will lead a tasting of the top cheeses in the 2018 American Cheese Society Competition at 1 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Healdsburg Shed.

Cost is $65, including the tasting of the winning cheeses and a glass of wine or beer from the SHED fermentation bar.

Shed is located at 25 North St. Visit healdsburgshed.com for more information.

You can reach Staff Writer Diane Peterson at 707-521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56