Kids eat free at Palms Grill, wine release party, spaghetti feed, Oktoberfests and more foodie news

Hot rods return

Chilly Billy Hot Rod, Motorcycle & Swap Meet is back for its 13th year at the Petaluma Fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 pm. and is free to all. A fun run ride, starting at the Harley dealership in Cotati, will end at the fairgrounds with great food, including barbecue chicken, beer and desserts from Sax's Joint for purchase. There will also be plenty of activities, with live music, face painting for the kids, vendor booths and raffles. You do not need to be a rider in order to enjoy this great event and help support the Polly Klaas Foundation and Vet Connect.

Antique Roadshow-ish

101 North Brewing Co. hosts Michaan's Auctions of Alameda for an Antique Roadshow-style event on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Experts from Michaan's will be on hand to appraiser your hidden treasures, antiques and collectibles, from fine art to furniture to jewelry. Even if you don't have anything to appraise, you can enjoy great food from F.A. Nino's Catering and beer from 101 North. The event is free, with food and drink for purchase. Pay $20 to get five items evaluated. There will also be raffles and giveaways. A portion of the proceeds will go towards Petaluma's Secret Santa Event. 101 North is an all-ages venue, but ID is required to drink and all sellers/consignees must be 18 years or older. 101northbeer.com

Burnt ends

Every so often Charley's Wine Country Deli fires up their smoker and offers a special evening of ribs and burnt ends, which is the holy grail of barbecue meats. Thursday, Oct. 11, is Charley's next night of special barbecue so either grab some to go, or stick around and enjoy a beer on tap or from their well-stocked coolers, either in their speakeasy bar or outdoor patio.

Harvest Dinner

Wind & Rye of Penngrove still has a few tickets left for their first Fall Harvest Dinner and Farm Tour, held on Sunday, Oct. 14. The tour starts at 4 p.m. with a tour of Coyote Family Farms, where guests will meet owners Sonya and Alex Perrotti to learn about their farming practices and how it plays into the local ecosystem. While sipping cocktails, guests can watch Backyard Restaurant's (Forestville) chef Daniel Kedan create the evening's meal. The dinner will include four courses, plus dessert prepared by Wind & Rye's owner and pastry expert, Laci Sandoval.

Wind & Rye Kitchen also offers three classes in October, including Kids Cake Decorating (Oct. 20), Homemade Hallow Treats for Kids (Oct. 24),\ and Nourishing The Family (Oct. 25), which is a class aimed at creating delicious and healthy meals for the whole family, from grandbabies to grandmas, and everyone in between. windandrye.com

Farm Trails

The Sonoma County Farm Trails self-guided tour is Oct. 13 and 14. Whether you want to shop for farm fresh produce, pick pumpkins, learn about beekeeping or how cheese is made, this is the best way to meet our local farmers, vintners and food purveyors. It's a chance to learn about their contribution to the great food culture for which Petaluma, and Sonoma County, is known the world over. Most stops are free so all you need is the online program and map, and don't forget a cooler to keep your purchases fresh. When you register at farmtrails.org, you will receive a link that reveals which locations are part of this year's tour, several of which are here in Petaluma, including McClelland's Dairy, Garden Valley Ranch, LaLa's Jam Bar, Wind & Rye Kitchen and Bodega Oyster Company.

Last Oktoberfests

Hermann Sons Hall will hold their Oktoberfest on Sunday, Oct. 14, starting at noon, with activities running all afternoon, including the Parade of Flags, folk dancers, a raffle and live music. This event often sells out, so call 664-0375 or 778-8066 for advance tickets, which are $12. The bratwurst dinner, for an additional $12, is a favorite Oktoberfest tradition in our family, as are the uniquely German desserts.

Lagunitas hosts the annual Trevor Smith Memorial Foundation fundraiser “OctoBEER Fest” on Monday, Oct. 15, starting at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Eventbrite through Oct. 10 for $30 (or $40 at the door) and help support Petaluma youth education, drama and athletics. Along with Bavarian inspired food and desserts, there will be live music, games and an auction.

Spaghetti Feed

Petaluma Woman's Club will hold their annual Scholarship Fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 19, starting at 6:30 p.m., at its historic B Street facility. Dinner will include delicious homemade sauce over pasta, along with antipasto, Caesar salad, garlic bread, dessert and, as always at PWC's fundraisers, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. We enjoy this event so much, that yours truly has been the volunteer crier for the homemade baked goods auction for several years now. So, be careful waving back at me when you hear me call out your name, because you'll surely be bidding on which ever dessert is currently on the auction block. This event raises funds to provide three Petaluma area high school students with a $1,000 college scholarship. Tickets are $20 ($10 for for kids under 11) and are available from Linda Karr (778-0833) or Debbie Payne (763-5398.)

Restaurant news

Volpi's had everyone a bit scared when they recently posted one of those ABC license change forms in their window, but I hear it is simply a formality, and that no, they are not selling.

Simply Strudel and accompanying Wake Up Coffee House, which serves Petaluma Coffee and Tea at the corner of Petaluma Boulevard South and H Street, across from Charley's Wine Country Deli, have updated hours. The 1,400 followers on Facebook is evidence that this tiny dynamic duo is well worth the visit, weekdays from 6 a.m. to noon, and weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.-ish.

Palms Grill has reintroduced their “kids eat free” Tuesday night special for those that want a night out with the kids, but don't want to break the bank. We dine at Palms periodically when visiting family on the eastside of town, so can attest that they serve up some pretty good food. Our recent Reuben visit for the accompanying article solidifies this opinion. They also offer half-off appetizers on Wednesdays, and half-off bottles of wine on Thursdays. Additionally, they have a great banquet room, which they offer to large groups at no extra charge.

Mimosa time

The Block – Petaluma now offers a Bottomless Build-Your-Own Mimosas bar every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for $18. Guest can choose from a variety of organic juices to top of their bubblies while prepping to watch some football and enjoy food truck delicacies.

Sneak peek

Mariposa Ice Creamery will open for a factory sale on Friday, Oct. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m, and again the next day, Saturday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with plenty of favorite fall flavors, including black licorice, pumpkin cheesecake and caramel apple. Go like their Facebook page for directions and updated flavors.

Barber Cellars will unveil three fall wines on Friday, Oct. 26, at a release and food party at their Washington Street tasting room, starting at 6 p.m. Along their “La Lune” (sauvignon blanc), and “Il Grosso Piccolo” (sangiovese), this will be our first chance to taste our favorite, Barber's “Mr. Beast” zinfandel. These three wines will be paired with food from chef Matt Elias and Laine Ayre, whose The Bodega – CA food truck has a well-earned reputation for turning out restaurant quality dishes. barbercellars.com