This year is the 41st annual Texas Folklife Festival at the Institute of Texan Cultures. This celebration of Texas’ cultural diversity is one of the largest such festivals in the state.

Yes, there is food and drink from dozens of ethnic groups, but also crafts, storytelling, music, dancing, roving performers and more. In fact, the festival has six stages located throughout the UTSA Hemisfare Park Campus at 801 E. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd.

Here’s the schedule. For complete information, click here.

Friday, June 8
5 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Saturday, June 9
11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Sunday, June 10
Noon – 7 p.m.

Adult (13 plus): $10 in advance; $12 at the gate
Child (6-12): $5 in advance; $5 at the gate
Children 5 and under are FREE

Group sales: 20 adult tickets, in advance only, for $8 each

(Note: There may be convenience fees for advance purchase at some locations and online. Advance tickets are available online, at HEB Stores, Ft. Sam Houston, Lackland AFB, Randolph AFB and the ITC museum store.)

If pork is what you're hankering for, find it at the Fine Swine and Artisanal Food Fest Sunday.

This coming Sunday, from 2-8 p.m., students from the Culinary Institute America- San Antonio and the Art Institute of San Antonio, will be exhibiting their skills in a heritage hog cook-off.

It’s happening at the South Texas Heritage Pork Farm, and there will be live music and a raffle with the top prize of a whole heritage roaster hog. Plus, take part in (or just watch) a pie-eating contest, tastings from local food trucks and vendors (additional items can be purchased from the vendors), cooking demos, and the showing of a food documentary, “Farmageddon.”  Sample tastings from the culinary students and watch the final judging.

Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Tickets are $35 for general admission and $75 for VIP tickets. The address is 4268 County Road 404, in Floresville.

VIP tickets include all general admission amenities plus additional food and drink pairings, a VIP parking pass and VIP seating in the judging area located on the farms expansive patio. VIP seating while be located in the heart of all the culinary cook-off action. VIP seating is pre-sale only, limited seating available.

Tickets available on line here.

Visit South Texas Heritage Pork at www.southtexasheritagepork.com

The Pearl Farmers Market turns three on Saturday.

The Pearl Farmers Market, 200 E. Grayson St., celebrates its third birthday this weekend in style.

The fun at the Pearl begins Friday evening with the final Spring Echale! featuring performances from Chico Trujillo, Ana Tijoux and Bombasta. Showtime is 7 p.m.

Then, on Saturday, Pearl marks its birthday with tastings from San Antonio chefs, giveaways and live music for the whole family. It’s a great way to get some last-minute gifts for Mother’s Day.

“Pearl Farmers Market, where each vendor is located within 150 miles of San Antonio, has become a major source of food and fun for our community. For three years, we have connected with the people that grow our food, raised awareness of seasonal eating and the struggles of farming, and brought people together with local food at the center,” said Tatum Evans, Pearl Farmers Market Manager . “We are thankful to the farmers who plant, grow, raise and harvest our food and thankful to the thousands of shoppers who attend market on Saturdays.”

“Going into our third year at Pearl Farmers Market is just as exciting as the very first day we opened. We see new customers every market day who become regular shoppers every Saturday. Local restaurants, individuals, visitors, and families have become part of the Pearl Farmers Market community,” said Cora Lamar, president of the Pearl Farmers Market Association and owner of Oak Hill Farm. “We at Pearl Farmers Market enjoy bringing San Antonio the best LOCAL produce, meats, eggs, and value added foods every Saturday of the year.”

Among the chefs who’ll be on hand are Jeff Balfour (Citrus), John Brand (Las Canarias and Ostra), Chad Carey (The Monterey), Jason Dady (Tre Tratorria, Bin 555, Two Bros. BBQ), Mark Weaver (Tre Trattoria Alamo Heights), Matt Hanck (Tre Tratorria Downtown), PJ Edwards (Bin 555), Jeff Foresman (The Westin), Jason Garcia (Ocho), Steven McHugh (Luke) and Rob Yoas (RoMo’s Café).

Additionally, MesAlegre returns with a complete sensory experience for food enthusiasts with a fantastic lunch prepared by La Gloria’s Johnny Hernandez. There is availability for 40 reservations, please call 210-434-4388 for more information or to make reservations for MesAlegre.

Market hours are 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Two San Antonio food truck parks are planning upcoming events to tempt your taste buds.

The food truck parks in San Antonio area are getting ready for some fun in the next few weeks:

• The Point Park & Eats,24188  Scenic Loop Road, is having a crawfish boil on May 19.

From noon until 11 p.m., crawfish will be served up every two hours or until the little crustaceans run out.

Fat Bellies and Crepe Nation are  the presenters of the feast with Kitchen Fusionz, Takoryia and the Frigid Frog adding support. Abita beer is sponsoring the event.

Live music and beer are on tap for the day.

Call (210) 251-3380 for details.

• Boardwalk on Bulverde, 14832 Bulverde Road, is hosting a three-day Kitchens 4 Cancer fundraiser May 25-27.

The  event benefits Livestrong, the Lance Armstrong Foundation that helps people with cancer.

Trucks include Rickshaw Stop, Toastie Buns, KC’s Cones, Guilty Pleasures, Spice Runner, Taco King, Lagniappe Today, Sabor Colombiano, Alex’s BBQ, R&R Chicken Wings, Skinny Cat, Peachwave, Society Bakery and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner are among the participating trucks.

The event begins at noon May 25 and runs through 8 p.m. May 27.

For more information, call (210) 402-2829.

Olmos Park Bistro should reopen by the end of next week, according to Martha McCracken, who owns the building at 4331 McCullough Ave.

The restaurant had closed recently with no word posted about its future.

McCracken said Friday that the restaurant was being reorganized.

The new menu would feature French favorites from the Olmos Park Bistro menu as well as some dishes from Valentino’s, McCracken’s restaurant that preceded it.

Chef Laurent Rea, who was in charge of the Olmos Park Bistro kitchen, would still oversee the food, she said.

Providing great food at lower prices would be emphasized at the new place, McCracken said.

Whether the name would change is unknown.

Oysters on the half shell.

Oysters 101 with chef Michael Flores explores the how the different water environments flavor these tasty mollusks.

The class, that includes a menu of oyster-based dishes, is Tues., May 1, 6:30 p.m. at Sur La Table at the Shops at La Cantera.

To sign up for this class log on to www.surlatable.com and choose “Cooking Classes.”  Enter your zip code and then follow the online instructions.  Or, you may call 800-243-0852.

San Antonio-based Olé Avocado is marking its fifth year anniversary by contributing proceeds of specially marked boxes to the Autism Treatment Center of Texas in San Antonio. The guacamole company products are available at H-E-B.

“We want to express our sincere thank-you to this community for embracing our brand,” said Jesus Sebastian, CEO of Olé Avocado.  “To be truly connected to San Antonio, it’s important to be involved with organizations and causes that impact this city.” Sebastian and his family have been in the avocado business for more than 30 years and maintain avocado orchards.

April marks Autism Awareness month. The disorder affects one out of 88 children, according to the Center for Disease Control. It’s the most widely diagnosed developmental disorder among children. Locally, the Autism Treatment Center in San Antonio provides services for children and adults at their facilities on Nacogdoches Road.

“We appreciate opportunities that bring awareness to our cause and applaud local companies like Ole Avocado for supporting us,” stated Ivy Zwicker, director of the Autism Treatment Center.

For more information on Ole Avocado, click here. For more on the Autism Treatment Center, click here.

Are you concerned about the food that you eat? The quality? Where it comes from? How it is produced?

Do you know where your food is grown? And how?

Then you may want to attend the first food policy conference in San Antonio on May 10-11. It is being sponsored by the Food Policy Council of San Antonio in partnership with the Community Food Security Coalition, and organizers are hoping to make it an annual event.

The conference’s aims are to educate, organize, mobilize and support local community efforts in order to better manage the local food system, according to press information.

Keynote speaker is author Mark Winne, who will appear along with national, state and local policymakers, nonprofit leaders, researchers, health planners, farmers, local producers and other experts in the area of food and nutrition. Events will include a tour of the Spurs Community Garden at the San Antonio Food Bank as well as presentation from chef Michael Sohocki of Restaurant Gwendolyn.

Educational and skill-building workshops, a reception featuring local food and beverages, as well as ample opportunities to network with food policy professionals and advocates will all be included.

The conference registration fee for both days is $60; however, a Community Putting Prevention to Work grant is underwriting the cost for the first 200 registrants.

For more information, including an agenda of events, visit www.sabalance.org/Home/FoodPolicyConference.

Three restaurants offering seats for the Texas Cavaliers River Parade on April 23 include Achiote, Lüke and Q on the Riverwalk.

Achiote at the Grand Hyatt, 600 E. Market St., has several seating options: $75 per person, patio seating; $42 per person, indoor seating; and $35 per person, patio seating onlyl (does not include food or drink). Hours are 5-10 p.m. The meal includes a salad station, a carving station with Smoked Strip Loin, a hot pot station with choice of Citrus Ponzu or Coconut Curry and seafood, a sushi station and desserts. Entrees include Chicken Nuggets, Cheese Pizza, Roasted Carrot and Kabocha Soup, Citrus Jasmine Rice, Baby Seasonal Vegetables, Pan Seared Salmon with Sweet Soy Glaze, Chipotle-Peach Chicken, Chips and Queso and more. Call (210) 451-6171.

Lüke, 125 E. Houston St., is offering a New Orleans-style buffet with  unlimited iced tea and a reserved seat along the river to watch the parade. Hours are 6-9 p.m. The cost is $75 for adults and $40 for children, plus tax and tip. To make a prepaid reservation, call (210) 227-5853.

Q on the Riverwalk at the Hyatt Regency, 123 Losoya, is offering dinner and a River Walk seat for $65 a person. Hours are 5-9:30 p.m. The menu includes chips and salsa, Jalapeño Hummus with Pita Bread, and Brisket and Pork Tacos to start, followed by Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and a salad of Tender Romaine Hearts with Parmesan Crisps. After a Mango Sorbet Intermezzo, dine on Roasted Chicken Breast, Fingerling Potatoes, Baby Vegetables Medley and Mushroom Supreme Sauce. Call (210) 362-6325.