Food comes with a side of entertainment this month at a variety of festivals.

First, there's A Taste of River Park, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

The 21-plus event, in its second year, features food samples from almost every River Park restaurant. It includes a fashion show and beer/wine tasting.

Chef Elizabeth Falkner will lead a cooking demonstration. Falkner is competing on the Food Network's "The Next Iron Chef," scheduled to air in October, and is chef and partner at Citizen Cake and Orson restaurant in San Francisco.

This year's event will take place on the upper level of the parking garage. Proceeds benefit The Valley Animal Center.

Tickets cost $40 before the event and $50 at the event. They are available at several River Park retailers and online at www.shopriverpark.com.

A shuttle will run continuously from the Applebee's at 8430 N. Friant Road to the event to ease parking issues.

On the same night, the Fresno Rugby Club presents the first Craft Beer, Cheese and Music Festival on the Bluffs across town at Palm and Alluvial avenues.

The event is at Bluff View Park, a park normally used by a preschool behind the Gb3 gym at the Park Place shopping center. Attendees can park in the shopping center and walk to the event.

More than 30 craft beers will be showcased. Beer and cheese samples are free, with Whole Foods donating 2,000 pounds of cheese for the event.

Wine, cocktails and food prepared by Ruth's Chris and Daily Grill will be available for purchase.

Several bands are scheduled to play, including Stranger, Trey Tosh, Hollywood U2 & The Terry Talbot Band. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.

The event runs 5:30 to 11 p.m. Tickets cost $40, $45 at the door and can be bought at Eureka! Burger or EurekaBurger.com.

-- If you're into Chinese food, the Mid-Autumn Festival starts at 4 p.m. Sunday, sponsored by the Central California Chinese Culture Association. Dinner will be served, along with moon cake, a traditional Chinese baked good.

The festival includes a Chinese cuisine competition and a noodle-making demonstration.

Tickets are available at the door and admission is free for association members, $5 for nonmembers. The festival happens at the La Querencia housing development at 2658 E. Alluvial Ave., with parking next door at the Unitarian Universalist Church.

-- On Sept. 16, the California Wine Month Reception & Wine Tasting event will be held at Birdstone Winery, 9400 Road 36 in Madera.

From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. the event will feature wine tasting from more than 10 local wineries.

Food will be provided by The Vineyard Restaurant & Bar, Love & Garlic, Slates Restaurant and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.

Proceeds benefit the AgOne Scholarship Fund. Tickets cost $25 and are available online at maderawinetrail.com.

ClovisFest is Sept. 17-18.

This event kicks off with hot air balloons taking off from the Clovis Rodeo Grounds at 748 Rodeo Drive at 7 a.m. Across the street, it's followed by live bands, a carnival and car show.

People can buy food from 23 vendors, which will include everything from Chinese food to kettle corn.

"We have everything you can imagine being barbecued," said Clovis Chamber of Commerce communications director Fran Blackney.

The free event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.