Warm Up for Outside Lands With a Preview Series of Food and Drink Pairings

It's almost that time of year again, when festival-goers flock to the grassy, brown expanses of Golden Gate Park and Uber surges to at least 10x its normal price— in other words, the Outside Lands music festival is drawing near.

The festival, which is now in its eighth year, has always had an impressive focus on food and beverages. And as an additional opportunity to eat, drink and be merry, the Outside Lands Summer Pairing Series has returned once more, offering matchups between some of the local food vendors, chefs, breweries and winemakers who will be in attendance.

The first of the four part series will kick off Friday, July 17 at Bluxome Street Winery, featuring the food of Nombe Izakaya (the now shuttered Mission restaurant). The dinner will include pairings like Japanese fried chicken alongside Bluxome's Sonoma Valley viognier and avocado fries with a rosé of syrah. Live music from The Rusty String Express will tie in the music component. Tickets to the event are $25 per person, available for advance purchase or at the door.

The following three series events include a cheese-fueled evening at Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena with bluegrass from The Travelin' McCourys band, a matchup between Proposition Chicken and the Creme Brulee Cart, and a Mexico City-inspired dinner from La Urbana with pairings from 21st Amendment. Check out the lineup with dates, times and prices here.