As of next week, summer will officially be over. Time to pack up the swimwear, shorts, and other skimpy clothes; time to pull out that dreaded box stuffed with sweaters, gloves, and snow brushes. But don't fret: the colder months are also a time to feast. And what better way to usher in fall than with a series of tasting events? Even better, all three of the food-filled events happening this week benefit local charities, so there's no need to feel guilty about re-packing on the pounds you lost over the summer.

Savor Rochester: Festival of Food

Those who have attended the Festival of Food in past years can rejoice - it's back! Foodlink, the local charity that hosts Festival of Food, decided to switch things up last year by hosting the Rochester Food Fight, an "Iron Chef"-style cook-off, in place of the annual Festival of Food tasting event. "Since last year was our 30th anniversary we decided to try something a bit different," says Maria Oberst, community relations manager for Foodlink. "But there was a huge backlash because the community really missed Festival of Food. So we decided to bring it back as a better, bigger event."

The Festival of Food will return for its sixth edition Monday, September 21, 5-8 p.m. at the Rochester Public Market, and Foodlink decided to offer the best of both worlds by combining the traditional tasting event and the fast-paced food competition into one big event. The tasting will feature foods and beverages from more than 80 local restaurants, breweries, wineries and other specialty food shops including Max Rochester, The Social, Nola's BBQ, Cheesy Eddie's, and Knapp Vineyard, to name a few. The food fight competition (running 6-7 p.m.) will pit four local chefs head-to-head: Andrew Penner of Rabbit Room, Christopher Brandt of Tastings, Debra Whiting of Red Newt Bistro, and John Freezee of Erie Grill at the Renaissance Del Monte Lodge. The chefs will each have 10 minutes to create a dish using a secret ingredient, a la "Iron Chef." The winner will receive an engraved chef's knife and, naturally, bragging rights.

Festival of Food regulars and newbies will also delight in the new availability of several artisan foods at this year's festival, including artisan ice cream and chocolates. "It's pretty special to have such a mix of artisan foods available, especially in Rochester," says Oberst. "It's proof that you don't have to go to New York City to have high-quality artisan foods."

In addition to tasting a variety of local foods, festival-goers can also take pride in the fact that 100 percent of the event's proceeds benefit Foodlink, the regional 10-county food bank that aims to end hunger in our area.

Tickets cost $40 in advance (available at Wegmans or the Rochester Public Market's Veggie Valet booth) or $50 at the door. For more information visit festivaloffood.org.

Local Restaurant Week

Also beginning Monday, September 21, is Local Restaurant Week, a twice-yearly event that spotlights the local harvest and independent restaurants by offering dining deals at participating restaurants, breweries, and wineries. For 2009, participants will offer special deals of their choosing for $20.09 for an entire week, through the following Monday, September 28.

For instance, Black & Blue (3349 Monroe Ave) will offer a three-course dinner for $20.09 including a house salad, a choice of either maple-glazed salmon or grilled top sirloin, and apple spice cake. And The Distillery (1142 Mt Hope Ave; 3010 Winton Rd S; 300 Paddy Creek Cir) will offer lunch or dinner for two including a choice of an appetizer (cheese quesadillas, chicken wings or crispy green bean fries) and a choice of two entrees (blackened chicken salad, spicy chicken pasta, bacon cheddar burger, french dip, buffalo chicken pizza or baja-style fish tacos) for the same price.

Other eateries participating in Local Restaurant Week include Good Luck (50 Anderson St), Lento (Village Gate; 274 N. Goodman St), Rohrbach Brewing Company (3859 Buffalo Rd), and more, including many establishments in Buffalo and other cities and towns in Western New York.

Local Restaurant Week has also chosen Foodlink and the Food Bank of WNY as its designated charities, providing special envelopes to participating restaurants so that diners can easily make donations to either charity. For more information on the event visit westernnewyork.localrestaurantweek.com.

Taste of Lori's

If you like the idea of a tasting event, but want something on the healthier side, Lori's Natural Foods (900 Jefferson Rd) is holding its 7th Annual Taste of Lori's event on Sunday, September 20, 6-8 p.m. The event will feature more than 30 vendors offering a variety of natural, gluten-free, dairy-free, and raw foods.

Some of the more familiar names include Vega, SO Delicious, Sunshine Burgers, and Amy's Kitchen. Those who attend the free event will also receive free take-home samples ranging from vitamin supplements and shampoos to cereal. Lori's will also be offering a tasting of their own deli creations: a vegan, gluten-free "emergency" chocolate cake, and carrot cake.

In addition, Lori's will be running a raffle for a variety of prizes to benefit two local charities. All 4 Pets is a local organization that provides grant money to pet owners that cannot afford their pets medical expenses, and Rochester Roots is committed to the creation of urban school and community garden-based educational programs for youth and adults. For more information visit lorisnatural.com.