HUNGER BANQUET: 6:30 p.m. Thur., St. Jude's Cathedral Center, 5815 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Share soup provided by the Wine Cellar and bread provided by Bruno's Bakery at 20th annual event, presented by St. Petersburg Free Clinic to help eradicate hunger. $5; desserts $3. Bring non-perishable food item. Tickets available at St. Petersburg Free Clinic, 863 Third Ave. N, St. Petersburg, or call (727) 821-1200.

OKTOBERFEST IN DUNEDIN: 3 p.m.-midnight Fri., 8 a.m.-midnight Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun., Dunedin Stadium at Grant Field (next to Dunedin Public Library on Douglas Ave.), Dunedin. Such typical German foods as bratwurst, knockwurst and Oktoberfest chicken along with oom-pa-pa bands, Bavarian dancers and pancake breakfasts. Free admission; charge for food. (727) 738-1888.

ART AND WINE FEAST: 7-10 p.m. Fri., Dunedin Fine Art Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin. Wines provided by B-21 Fine Wines paired with Chesapeake crab dip with crostini from St. Larry's Restaurant, escargot in phyllo cups from Jillian's Bistro, Thai garlic shrimp from Blue Heron and banana strawberry creme brulee from Travis Bistro. $100. Benefits Dunedin Art Center. Call (727) 298-3322.

TASTE OF BLUES 2000: 3-10 p.m. Sat., Centennial Park, Ybor City. Non-stop food tastings from area restaurants in the food court and national and local blues performers on stage to benefit Hillsborough Association for Retarded Citizens. Nominal charge for food samples. Call (813) 273-6364, ext. 305.

TASTE OF SARASOTA: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun., Phillippi Estate Park, U.S. 41 S (Tamiami Trail), Sarasota. Sample fare from such Sarasota area restaurants as the Front Porch, Fred's and Michael's Seafood Grille. Waiter race, ice carving, live music. $3; under 12 admitted free. Nominal charge for food tastes. Benefits All Faiths Food Bank: http://www.tasteofsarasota.org.

NAPA VINTNERS/ABILITIES BENEFIT: 7 p.m. Oct. 26, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa. Wine and food tasting features 50 California winemakers including ZD Wines, Atlas Peak Vineyard, Domaine Chandon and Trefethen Vineyards. Tastings from area restaurants in club-level accomodations. Proceeds from the Napa Valley Vintners Association Tasting and Auction benefits Abilities of Florida. $100; $150 VIP reception at 6:30 p.m. Call (727) 538-7370, ext.345 to reserve.

EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL: Oct. 21-Nov. 19, EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort, Exit I-4 at Exit 25B west of Orlando. More than 100 wineries and foods from 30 nations are celebrated with wine seminars, culinary demonstrations and 30 international beers poured along with beer brewing classes, all daily in the park. Special events include winemaker dinners hosted by both guest and Disney chefs, grand tastings with food creations from 12 celebrity chefs and featuring 15 wineries. Dinners and tastings $75 and $60 respectively plus EPCOT admission. Call (407) 939-3463 for information or reservations.

MONTIGNAC NUTRITION OPEN HOUSE: 4-9 p.m. today, Montignac Nutrition and Learning Center, 800 East Bay Drive, Royal Plaza Shopping Center, Largo. Meet Eat Yourself Slim author Michel Montignac; learn principles of eating healthy. Free. (727) 581-3434.

Wine and beer tastings

HARR'S FINE WINE TASTING: 7-10 p.m. Thur., Harr's Surf and Turf, 3235 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor. Tasting of more than 40 wines priced up to $20 a bottle paired with hot and cold hors d'oeuvres prepared by Harr's chefs. $15. Call (727) 785-8873.

OKTOBERFEST TASTING: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. German-style tasting of eight wines from the Rhine and Mosel rivers, including a Von Kesselstatt Riesling Extra-Dry Sparkling Sekt and Schlinck-Haus Bereich Nahetal 1998 Kabinett, plus six seasonal beers, including Weihenstephaner, paired with German cheeses, pretzels and mustards. $10. Call (813) 879-2931 to reserve.

WORK WEEK WINE DOWN: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. Sampling of wines and beers accompanied by a selection of snacks. $10 (includes $5 coupon toward wine purchase). (813) 269-8463.

WHITE GRAPE VARIETALS: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., SideBern's, 2208 W Morris Ave., Tampa. Yes, there are other white wines besides chardonnay, as Ken Collura, Bern's head sommelier, shows at this week's fall wine class series on white grape varietals. $25. To reserve, call (813) 250-9463.

Cooking classes

CREPE COOKERY: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thurs., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Add crepe dishes to your repertoire at this free vegetarian class led by chef Debby DeGraaff. Call (813) 873-7428.

KIDS' HALLOWEEN PARTY: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (ages 8-14) and 2-3:30 p.m. (ages 4-7) Sat., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Hands-on Halloween class for kids lets them dress up in costume and learn to make steak sandwiches with roasted tomato ketchup, date nut cake with toffee sauce, caramel apples, pumpkin cupcakes. $25. Call (727) 736-6400.

HEALTHCRAFT CLASSES: 10 a.m.-noon Sat., 5414 Town and Country Blvd. (just off corner of Hillsborough Ave. and Town and Country Blvd.), Tampa. Learn to prepare dishes such as chicken cordon bleu, candied French carrots and carrot cake with warm vanilla cream with chef Charles Knight at this Healthcraft cooking class series: $49 a class, $189 for five-class series covering holiday menus and Creole cuisine. One guest per paid participant included in cost, along with recipes. Limited class size. Call (813) 885-5244, ext. 221.

APPLE PORK: 6 p.m. Tues. 10 a.m.-noon Oct. 18, Giancola's Market, 750 S Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs. Hands-on cooking class shows how to create hearty pork loin with apple raisin chutney. $25. Call (727) 945-8338.

PANTRY MEALS IN A HURRY: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mon., Margaret Ann's Catering, 5625 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg. Learn how to stock your pantry with the right ingredients to make quick workday meals at this class. $35. Call (727) 525-3983.

ASIAN FLAVORS: 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Oct. 18, Euphemia Haye Restaurant, 5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Chef Raymond Arpke's lunch lesson and wine pairing features Asian cuisine: peppered tuna sashimi-style, pork medallions with shiitake mushrooms, sesame, scallion and sticky rice, ginger ice cream. $50. Prepaid reservations required. Call Karen at (941) 383-3633.

Contests

THE OTHER TAILGATE PARTY SWEEPSTAKES: Enter the National Pork Producers Council's sweepstakes for the chance to win a four-day trip for two to the Championship College Bowl in Miami complete with tailgate party with Mike Ditka. Send 3- by 5-inch postcard hand-printed with name, address, phone and age to the Other Tailgate Party, P.O. Box 1999, Culver City, CA 90232, or enter online at http://www.otherwhitemeat.com. by Nov. 30.

Table talk

Send news of coming events at least two weeks in advance of the publication date to Food File, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.

Information from Times wires was used in this column.

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