By 'Art & Wine' in Los Altos

The Los Altos Village Association is scheduled to hold its annual Art & Wine Festival in downtown Los Altos Saturday and Sunday. The event will feature crafts from more than 400 artists, entertainment, food, wine and beer.

The Los Altos Art and Wine Festival has consistently ranked in the Top 75 festivals in the nation, according to the Harris Rhodes List, a service that contains up-to-date information on the best arts and craft shows in the United States.

Organizers expect more than 120,000 people to attend the two-day event.

The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Main and State streets in downtown Los Altos.

‘Marketplace’ in Menlo Park

The Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to hold its annual gastronomic gala, Connoisseurs’ Marketplace on July 20-21.

The event will feature cooking demonstrations by 10 local chefs, a gourmet specialty food market, and wine and microbeer tasting. Jesse Ziff Cook, author and restaurateur, will serve as master of ceremonies.

The gourmet alley will include 15 purveyors of specialty foods, including desert sauces, salad dressings and flavored almonds.

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Santa Cruz Avenue from El Camino Real to Johnson Street in Menlo Park. Admission and parking are free. For festival information, call 325-2818.

Recipe contest at San Mateo Fair

The San Mateo County Fair will host the annual Softsilk Championship Cake contest Aug. 9-18 at the Expo Center.

Contestants will be judged on taste and appearance. Each cake will be on display at the fair. Winners will receive prizes of $100, $50 and $20, in addition to receiving an engraved momento, a championship rosette ribbon and an apron. First Place winner will be eligible for the national competition and a $1,000 grand prize.

To enter the cake contest, contact the San Mateo County Fair entry department at 574- 3247.

Garlic Festival in Gilroy

The 24th annual Gilroy Garlic Food Festival is scheduled to be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., July 26-28 at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy.

The event will feature food, beverages, live entertainment and an array of garlic specialties, such as garlic ice cream.

General admission is $10 for adults; $5 for children ages 6-12; and $5 for seniors 60 and over. Children under 5 are free.

For more information, log on to www.gilroygarlicfestival.com.