HOLIDAY FOOD FEST: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Festival for those looking for a healthy twist on Thanksgiving, with holiday food sampling, wine and Champagne tasting, cooking demonstrations, entertaining ideas for both vegetarian and conventional meals. Free. Call (813) 873-7428.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS: Casa Tina Mexican and Vegetarian Cuisine, 369 Main St., Dunedin. Day of the Dead celebration Thur.-Sun. with menu of tamales, mole, shrimp veracruzana, carnitas, pumpkin flan, Mexican sweets. Music and costumes. Lecture 6-8 p.m. Sun. Event includes dinner, margaritas, and "sugar skull" decorating. $40 plus tax and gratuity. Call (727) 734-9226 reserve.

STONE CRAB, SEAFOOD AND WINE: Sample succulent stone crab and savory seafood creations of chefs Kai Duong of Ana Mandara in San Francisco, Ken Frank of La Toque in Rutherford, Calif., and Rick Moonen of Oceana in New York and others at the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort's 12th annual Stone Crab, Seafood and Wine Festival Thur.-Sun. Cooking demonstrations and wine tastings Fri. and Sat., $75 a day; "Tasting on the Beach" Fri. Call (941) 383-6464, ext. 2901, Colony Beach and Tennis Resort, 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key.

ERIC'S HARVEST WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. reception; dinner follows, Nov. 8, Eric's @ Sutherland (formerly Sutherland Cafe), 1026 Florida Ave., Palm Harbor. Menu of black sesame crusted salmon or a rolled New York strip with brandy peppercorn sauce, wasabi mashed potatoes with lobster sake butter, paired with autumn wines. $55 plus tax and gratuity. Call (727) 787-7734 to reserve.

RIBFEST: gates open 11 a.m. Nov. 9-11, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg. Barbecued ribs from around the country at annual cook-off to benefit All Children's Hospital and other children's charities. Tickets: $6 in advance, $10 at the gate, kids under 12 free. Call Ticketmaster at (727) 898-2100 or (813) 287-8844 or visit www.ribfest.org.

EPCOT FOOD AND WINE: Festival ongoing through Nov. 18; 140 wineries and cuisines of 30 nations and regions represented. Culinary samplings, wine seminars, dinners and tastings, "From Vine to Wine" guided winemaking tour. Call (407) 939-3463 for information or visit www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine.

Wine and beer tastings and classes

WINE EXTRAVAGANZA: 5-8 p.m. Fri., Pic Pac Fine Wine and Spirits, 6609 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Tasting of 50 wines from around the world benefits the Abilities Foundation. Donation $10. Call (727) 347-0743.

THE GRAPE ESCAPE: 4-7:30 p.m. Fri., The Grapevine at Westchase, Westchase Square, 12125 W Linebaugh Ave., Tampa. Wine Professor leads tasters on a sampling of wines from around the world: free. Call (813) 818-9463.

ITALIAN FAVORITES: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat., Mazzaro's Italian Market, 2909 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Sample selection of reasonably-priced wines ($7-$20) from small producers throughout Italy. Free. (727) 321-2400.

RED BORDEAUX: 6:30 p.m. Mon., Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Tasting class with David Black explores the differences between Left and Right Bank wines of Bordeaux, France, including St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien. $25. Call (813) 250-9463 to reserve.

Cooking classes

ALL ABOUT ALMONDS: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Free vegetarian cooking class. Call (813) 873-7428.

KIDS' HOLIDAY SNACKS: 10-11 a.m. Sat., Florida Botanical Gardens, 12175 125th St. N, Largo. Registered dietitian shows kids how to cook fun and nutritious snacks for the holidays in free hands-on workshop. Early registration required. Call (727) 582-2100.

LET THEM DECORATE CAKES: Cake decorating classes at the Honey Bee Shop, 10202 N 30th St., Tampa, include Gum Paste Flowers, 7-9 p.m. Thur. ($60 for four classes); Candy Class, 10 a.m.-noon Sat. ($10); Basic Cake Decorating, 7-9 p.m. Mon. ($25 plus supplies for four classes); Intermediate Cake Decorating, 7-9 p.m. Tues. ($25 plus supplies for four classes). Early registration required. Call (813) 971-7599.

OYSTERCATCHER'S MENU: noon Sat., Oystercatcher's Restaurant at Hyatt Westshore, 6200 Courtney Campbell Parkway, Tampa. Learn to make some of Oystercatcher's menu favorites as chef Thomas McKinney leads class from preparation to presentation. Three-course meal complemented with Champagne and beverages. $50 includes tax and gratuity. Limited seating, call: (813) 207-6815.

PIES AND PASTRIES: Learn the art of piemaking from chef George Geary at his Autumn Pie workshop, 2 p.m. Sat. ($50), or make an array of pastry desserts at Thanksgiving Pastry Harvest Table class, 6 p.m. Mon. ($50), both at Aprons Cooking School at Publix Supermarket Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Call (813) 926-4465 to register.

HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tues., Margaret Ann's Catering, 5625 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Taste specialties from catering menu, get tips to make entertaining special while learning to make new holiday favorites. $35. Call (727) 525-3983.

COOKING WITH SWEET POTATOES: 7-8 p.m. Nov. 7, 10-11 a.m. Nov. 8, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Learn to use versatile sweet potatoes in fall-themed dishes at this vegetarian class. Free. Call (813) 873-7428.

Cooking demonstrations

TUSCAN THANKSGIVING, BRUNCH MENUS: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Tuscan-inspired Thanksgiving with artichoke hearts with sabayon sauce, Tuscan turkey with sage dressing, bread pudding with leeks and garlic, cranberry walnut tart, 6:30-9 p.m. Thur., $39.50; or a New Orleans brunch menu of seafood gumbo, eggs Sardou, grillades and grits, beignets and cafe au lait, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sun., $39.50 (includes mimosas and Champagne). Call (727) 736-3070.

Contests

BEST-DRESSED MEALS: Presentation is the key in Nestle's "Best Dressed Meals" recipe challenge that asks for entries in appetizer, main dish or dessert categories. Grand prize is a trip for two to take master classes at L'Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne cooking school in Burgundy, France, with six-day chateau stay, market tours and sampling of regional foods and wines, two-night stay at the Ritz Hotel in Paris with meal plus $5,000. Send entries to "Best Dressed Meals Recipe Contest," P.O. Box 1878, Young America, MN 55594-1878 by Nov. 26. For complete rules, call (866) 200-5294 or visit www.bestdressedmeals.com.

Worth sending for

GOLDEN CONE CLUB: You're never too old for ice cream, and members of Edy's Golden Cone Club, designed for senior ice cream lovers, enjoy extra advantages like discount coupons, recipes, newsletters, special offers. To become a member, send proof of age (50 years or older) such as a copy of driver license, birth certificate or AARP card, $3 check or money order for shipping and handling, name and address to Golden Cone Club, Edy's Grand Ice Cream, 5929 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618.

- 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.

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