This Weekend’s Five Best Food Events – 10/31/2014

Plans all set for Halloween? Avoid feeling like a zombie the rest of the weekend by checking out these five events.

NYC Craft Beer Autumn Festival, Lexington Avenue Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue, Friday and Saturday

Dress like a beer nerd and enjoy offerings from 75 craft breweries at this two-day event, which includes seminars from top suds-makers and food offerings from vendors like Morris Grilled Cheese. A craft concierge center will also be in place to help attendees find their perfect brew or consider branching out. Tickets start at $55 for select sessions and can be purchased through the festival website.

Dia de los Muertos Boozy Brunch, Horchata, 470 Sixth Avenue, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.

After waking up in your costume, heal your hangover with chilaquiles, quesadillas, and all-day happy-hour specials on sangria and frozen margaritas. For $30, guests can opt to feast on the new boozy brunch deal, which includes two hours of unlimited drinks, an entree, and guacamole with chips.

Day of the Dead: Funeral Foods, Bowery Culinary Center — Whole Foods, 95 East Houston Street, Saturday, 3 p.m.

Exploring the role of food as comfort during times of hardship, this class concentrates on how to prepare a few American funeral food staples: deviled eggs, fried chicken, and chocolate cake. Instructor Wai Chu will discuss the symbolic relevance of each dish. Tickets are $40.

The Mac Off, Littlefield, DeGraw Street, Brooklyn, Sunday, 5 p.m.

For $15 in advance and $20 at the door, guests can stuff their faces with a wide variety of mac-and-cheese, as professional and amateur chefs compete for prizes and affection. Attendees can expect to see some wacky combinations as they sample all the mac-and-cheese they can eat; a complimentary beer is included, too.

Colonial Harvest Dinner, Chapter One, 33 Greenwich Avenue, Sunday, 6:30 p.m.

Kicking off the restaurant’s new heritage dinner series, diners are invited to chow down on an all-American menu inspired by the New World’s culinary beginnings. Chef Warren Baird will prepare dishes like roasted venison, sunchokes, and a sweet corn “Indian” pudding, all based on the popular diet of the colonial days. Dinners are $32 per person before tax and gratuity, and also include hard cider. Reservations are required and can be made by contacting the restaurant.