Weekend Events: Taste of Mexico; Laurelfest; MORE

In need of a last-minute weekend food event? Do consider:

DOWNTOWN/PARK BLOCKS—The annual Sabor a México culinary fundraiser — an event that highlights some of Portland's top Mexican restaurants — will fete tonight (Friday, August 24) at the Portland Art Museum's sculpture mall starting at 5:30p.m. Guests can sample bites from Mi Mero Mole, Autentica, Por Que No?, Nuestra Cocina, and La Calaca Comelona, among others — with proceeds from the $40 entry benefiting the IME Becas Fellowship Program, which provides educational opportunities for local Latinos. More information and tickets here.

NORTH PORTLAND—Up in Kenton, Po'Shines Cafe de la Soul hosts its fifth-annual crawfish feed, and this year, it's a full-scale block party complete with live music, crawfish, and gumbo. As per usual, items are all available a la carte, and proceeds from the event will benefit Po'Shines in-house culinary program for at-risk youth. More information here.

NORTH PORTLAND—The NE Sandy location of the Laurelwood Public House hosts its 11th-annual Laurelfest this Saturday. In addition to special pours, live bands, and an outdoor barbeque kicking off at noon, the brewery will offer beer, wine, and spirit tastings starting at 2p.m. More information here.

SE HAWTHORNE—To celebrate this year's Hawthorne Street Fair (with features — in all seriousness — a "Zumba flash mob"), Bazi Bierbrasserie will host the outdoor beer garden, starting at 10a.m. Sunday (August 26). The $10 entrance fee grants guests with four tasting tickets for eight-ounce pours of beer by Upright, Breakside, and the Commons, among others, with additional vendors like House Spirits and Salt & Straw. More information here.

Image of Taste of Mexico 2000 courtesy Facebook