Escapes: Feast on crab in Mendocino

Crab overload

Mendocino’s annual Crab & Wine Days festival is stocked with all-you-can-eat crab feeds, crab cruises, cooking classes, cioppino nights and other crab-related merriment. Watch for special events and deals from businesses Friday through Jan. 26.

Just outside the Noyo Harbor, you can see whales as they migrate along the coast while you fish for crabs on one of many charter boats. Yes, you’ll get to keep and eat some of the sea creatures.

If a giant pot bubbling with seafood, shellfish and Dungeness crab sounds like an ideal feast to you, buy a ticket for the big cioppino dinner at Historic Pentecost Hall, 822 Stewart St. in Fort Bragg. Adults pay $35 in advance, $45 at the door; for ages 6-12 the charge is $15. The family-style feast includes salad, bread, ice cream and coffee. That event takes place Jan. 23, with three seatings to choose from. On the following day at 3 p.m., head to the Crab Cake Cook-Off & Wine Tasting competition, under a big white tent on the corner of Main and Spruce streets in Fort Bragg. Try hundreds of crab cakes from Mendocino chefs alongside local wine and microbrews. Tickets cost $100.

For more information about these events – and many others – visit

www.mendocino.com.

Foragers festival

What: Fungus will rule at the annual Big Sur Foragers Festival, which features gourmet food, beer and wine, a chef competition, cooking classes and expert-led foraging hikes.

When: Friday through Sunday

Where: Various locations, Big Sur

Cost: Event prices vary

Information: www.bigsurforagersfestival.org

Truffle mania

What: Truffle enthusiasts will indulge in truffle-laden meals, educational seminars, truffles paired with wine and foraging expeditions. For those just curious about truffles, consider the free marketplace next Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oxbow Public Market, showcasing truffle goods, tastings and cooking demos.

When: Friday through Jan. 19

Where: Various locations, Napa

Cost: Event prices vary

Information: www.napatrufflefestival.com

Winterpalooza

What: The first-ever, all-day event features snowman building, relay races, tubing and more. Tickets are included with admission to Tahoe Donner’s Snowplay.

When: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Tahoe Donner, 12790 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee

Cost: $10-$18

Information: www.tahoedonner.com

LEGO holiday

What: The 11th annual Holiday LEGO Extravaganza at the Museum of American Heritage will showcase Bay Area landmarks, castles, miniature cities, train layouts and more – all made from LEGO pieces.

When: 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Where: Museum of American Heritage, 351 Homer Ave., Palo Alto

Cost: $2

Information: www.moah.org

Train show

What: Hundreds of model trains travel on more than 4,300 feet of track at the Diablo Valley Lines model railroad, one of the largest and most mountainous of its kind. Expect to spot deserts, snow-capped mountains, wind turbines, thunderstorms and a sunset at every show.

When: 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday

Where: Larkey Park, 2751 Buena Vista Ave., Walnut Creek

Cost: $3 general, $2 seniors and children, free ages 5 and under

Information: www.wcmrs.org

Bee Staff

This story was originally published January 10, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Escapes: Feast on crab in Mendocino."