Kneading Conference, Ossippee Valley Music Fest, More

Looking for something to do this weekend? Here are three choice food-related events happening throughout Maine:

1) Kneading Conference and Artisan Bread Fair
When: Paid Conference: Thursday, July 24 to Friday, July 25. Free Bread Fair: Saturday, July 26
Where: Skowhegan State Fairgrounds
What: Celiacs, beware: The Maine Grain Alliance, a non-profit formed as a result of the educational (and registration-only) Kneading Conference, is hosting its annual gathering this weekend, a celebration of local grains and breads. The free-admission fair on Saturday promises demos, live music, and some of the best locally-grown and -made food this state has to offer. You can even mill grain by pedaling a bicycle. See local kid-friendly blog Cute Potato for pictures and a chance to win some local flour.

2) Ossippee Valley Music Festival
When: Thursday, July 24 to Sunday, July 27
Where: 291 South Hiram Road, South Hiram
What: Where there's good music, there ought to be good food, and the ever-popular Ossippee Valley Music Fest "actively seeks and promotes craft vendors who make their products, who are regionally sourced, and who have a friendly spirit towards other vendors." Among others, local blogger and Knack Factory partner Alex Steed will be slinging goodies from his Food Shack again this year. Perhaps he'll dispense advice for a nickel, too.

3) Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Previews
When: Various times
Where: The Great Lost Bear, Novare Res
What: Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp Across America, a seven-city traveling beer tour whose only northeast stop is in Portland on Friday, August 1, is underway. In anticipation of the massive festival, which has nearly 130 regional breweries signed up to pour beers at Thompson's Point, locals are being treated to all kinds of ancillary events. For example, tonight, Thursday, July 24, The Great Lost Bear is pouring all 12 country-wide collaboration beers that Sierra Nevada brewed for its Beer Camp mix-pack, including one with Allagash Brewing Company. And on Saturday, July 26, Novare Res is pouring those 12 beers plus others involving the various collaborators, and hosting a raffle for tickets to the event, proceeds of which (both the raffle and the festival) benefit the Maine Brewers' Guild.