Veg Fest under the sun

The sixth annual Twin Cities Veg Fest moves outdoors for the first time this weekend, with activities from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Como Regional Park, 1199 Midway Pkwy. in St. Paul. The festival, hosted by Compassionate Action for Animals, is designed to appeal to omnivores, vegetarians and vegans alike with arrays of plant-based foods, cooking demonstrations and presentations from celebrities in the field of compassionate living, which will include a panel discussion with representatives from local farm sanctuaries. Admission to the festival is free. For more details, visit tcvegfest.com.

Let's talk preserving

Twin Cities cookbook authors Beth Dooley and Mette Nielsen have some upcoming events for their "Savory Sweet: Simple Preserves From a Northern Kitchen." They'll be featured at a Nordic Table event at the American Swedish Institute on Sept. 12. The evening talk will include their insights, stories, tips, tastes and hints on preserving fresh flavors in local bounty the Nordic way. Cost for ASI members is $20, nonmembers $25. Register online at ASIMN.org or call 612-871-4907.

On Sept. 30, they'll be in Cambridge, Minn., at Scout & Morgan Books, 114 Buchanan St. N., from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Feast on what's foraged

Timothy Fischer, executive chef at Loews Minneapolis Hotel, is an avid forager who will celebrate the beginning of fall with a five-course Northern Foragers Dinner Sept. 28 at Cosmos, featuring whatever he's found in northern woods and waters. While the final plating will depend on what he forages, the menu is likely to include crayfish, steelhead trout, chanterelles, duck, black trumpet mushrooms, huckleberries, elderflower and much more. For an extra charge, each course will be paired with handcrafted cocktails using foraged ingredients. Reservations required. Visit eventbrite.com and search for Northern Foragers Dinner.

KIM ODE