The Scottsdale Culinary Festival began this week, and while we already named what we believe are the festival’s top five coolest things and events, there is tons more to see, do and taste this weekend. From an exclusive SKYY Bar, to the Southwest Festival of Beers from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday – to a $5 Tequila Experience serving margaritas and an Epicurean Expo with the latest in kitchen gadgets– the list is endlessly fun. Click past the jump to preview the happenings.

Be at the toast of the town tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. with Bubbles and Bliss at The Saguaro. Pop a bottle, take a sip and stroll around The Saguaro’s bright and bubbly pool while sampling champagne-infused cuisine designed by Chef Jose Garces of Distrito. $40 per person.

Eat, Drink & Be Pretty at this fashion-forward food sampling event tomorrow night from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. A fashion show will be presented by Carine W and Rolf’s Hair Salon and Spa while stylish guests mingle and munch on food from twenty Valley restaurants, along with a wine tasting from several unique wineries. $70 per person.

Grab the whole family for The Great Arizona Picnic from noon to 6 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday at the Scottsdale Civic Center. There will be fifty+ food and beverage exhibitors, live music, a VIP area, and two celebrities, Adam Richman of Man v. Food and Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods, who will perform live, giving guests a glimpse of their travel stories, unique food tastes and culinary talent. Cost is $10 per person; $5 for military personnel and children under 12 and seniors over 65 are free. Tickets to see Richman or Zimmern are $40 per person and includes admission into the Great Arizona Picnic.

Saturday evening the fun continues with Chef Wine Dinners at 6:30 p.m. at various top restaurants in the Valley (think Il Terrazzo at The Phoenician, LON’s at the Hermosa Inn and Sushi Roku). Limited to 24 attendees per restaurant, cost is $125 per person and includes a five-course meal paired with rich vintage wines. Following the meal, party hardy at a Picnic After Party from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. at Clayton on the Park. For $10 per person, guests will dance the night away with  DJ entertainment, incredible drinks and a great lounge to relax.

Finally, complete the culinary carousals at a Wine Country Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Scottsdale Resort and Conference Center. Various Valley restaurants will prepare your brunch favorites in hopes of winning the title “Best Brunch,” while champagne, mimosas and wine pour constantly. Guests will also be able to bid on luxury items at the brunch’s Silent Auction. $65 per person or $55/person for table of 10.

The weekend is not over, however, until you’ve experienced the Best of the Fest, a five-course, wine-paired dinner with a stellar lineup of the Valley’s best chefs at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The chefs will take charge of their own two tables to bring their personality and flair to guests who selected to dine with them. Served along with the beautiful music of MusicaNova Orchestra, the open-air event enlivens spirits and pleases palates. It’s the picture perfect ending to the nation’s longest-running food festival. Cost is $175 per person.

For more information, a list of chefs involved with Chef Wine Dinners, Wine Country Brunch and Best of the Fest, or to purchase tickets, click here.

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