Best of Santa Cruz County food & drink events, May 30-June 5

Here, find a curated list of the best food and drink events in Santa Cruz County for the coming week. At the top, I share my picks of unmissable local happenings.

Celebrate plant-based cuisine and animal welfare at Santa Cruz VegFest on Saturday at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Expect more than 100 exhibitors showcasing vegan food and treats; cruelty-free fashion and beauty shops; speakers discussing health, nutrition and environmental issues; local beer, wine and hard cider; live music and comedy; and cooking demonstrations. Tickets are $5 in advance, and $10 at the door. Proceeds benefit Little Hill Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary in Royal Oaks.

This Saturday, traveling farm-to-table event company Outstanding in the Field will return to where it all began with a feast at Mariquita Farm in Corralitos, the site of the first dinner in the summer of 1999. These events seek to bring diners closer to farmers and food production. Farmer Andy Griffin will be attending, and the meal will be prepared by Gus Trejo, executive chef at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz. Tickets are $385.