2nd Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience
Sunday, March 9, 4–8 p.m.

Durham Performing Arts Center

123 Vivian St., Durham

Last year’s debut of the Bull City Food & Beer Experience served to spotlight some of the city’s best breweries and restaurants while raising $8,000 to benefit the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association. This year, with more food and beer providers involved, the goal is to raise $10,000 to maintain the waterway’s diverse ecosystems and expand its role as an important connector of the Durham community.

The event is presented by the Durham Performing Arts Center, Sam’s Quik Shop and Tyler’s Restaurant and Taproom.

Thirty brick-and-mortar restaurants, including two that existed only as food trucks last year, will serve food intended to pair well with 50 featured beers. There are many returning participants, but among this year’s newcomers are Pompieri Pizza, Mattie B’s, Saltbox Seafood Joint, The Pit-Durham, Nana’s Tacos, Parizade and Local 22. Notably, Primal Food & SpiritsChef Tim Lyon’s gluten-free restaurant, which is scheduled to open this summer in southwest Durhamwill debut menu items.

An onstage experience will feature 20 “cask condition” beers from across the country and a sampling of local artisan foods from Loaf, Big Spoon Roasters, Waterdog Farms, Melina’s Fresh Pasta, First Hand Foods and Two Brothers Jerky.

The $75 ticket provides patrons with a souvenir tasting glass, live bluegrass-inspired music from Mipso, and four hours’ access to featured food and beer. Additionally, the event will include a North Carolina Craft Beer Panel discussion. Presenters are Oscar Wong of Highland Brewery Co., Jamie Bartholomaus of Foothills Brewing, Sean Lily Wilson of Durham’s own Fullsteam Brewery, Robert Poitras of Carolina Brewery and Ben Woodward of Haw River Farmhouse Ales.

To view the full list of participants or order tickets, visit dpacnc.com. Jill Warren Lucas

Advocates for Health in Action presents its Annual Dig In! on Saturday, March 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Marbles Kids Museum, 201 E. Hargett St., Raleigh.

Erin White of Community Food Lab will kick off the event with the concept of urban food clusters and a proposed urban food innovation corridor at the Blount and Person street area. The goal is to cluster diversefood projectscommunitygardens, urban farms, farmers markets, community kitchens, food business incubators, local food restaurants, composting and school gardensto create a hub for healthy eating.

Several local urban agriculture and garden experts will share their expertise during workshops on community gardens, school gardens, child care gardens and edible landscapes.

Registration is $10 per person at www.advocatesforhealthinaction.org, but space is limited.

Later that afternoon, participants can also visit one of three urban farm/garden work sites: Alliance Medical Ministry, which gives fresh vegetables from its garden to clinic patients; Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Hoke Street Training Center, which teaches people about growing food as a way to address hunger; and the Raleigh City Farm.

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the hibernian pub has reopened at 311 Glenwood Ave. (hibernianpub.com), where a fire heavily damaged the Raleigh institution in 2012. It is open today and Thursday starting at 4 p.m., and Friday at 11 a.m.

If you’ve ever considered shooting the squirrel that’s invading your birdfeederand then eating ityou might get an opportunity to try the Chicken of the Tree during exotic meat month at bull city burger and brewery (107 E. Parrish St., Durham, 919-680-2333, bullcityburgerandbrewery.com). The restaurant will sell burgers made with exotic meats “paired with the flavors that other cultures enjoy every day.” Save six receipts to earn a free Exotic Meat Month T-shirt, inscribed with the words “I never met a meat I wouldn’t eat.” Just tell me that doesn’t include groundhog. Lisa Sorg

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