If you've done the Light Rail bar crawl or a Pedal Pub outing, you're probably familiar with the concept of progressive partying, but the appeal of something like that fades quickly after too many weekends spent on a party bus. Thankfully, an organization called Dishcrawl, which has just recently popped up in the Twin Cities, takes the fun of touring but applies it to dining out. It's like a more grownup, food-centered version of bar-hopping, intended to help local gourmands get together and discover some new favorite restaurants.

The Hot Dish caught up with Dishcrawl's local ambassador, Christine Carlson, to learn more about the organization and how it works, and to get some details on its next event, Tuesday, March 26, on St. Paul's Grand Avenue.

Young philanthropists getting together to help raise funds to support young entrepreneurs was the name of the game at this years Graze 4 Good event hosted in Midtown Global Market's kitchen space, Kitchen in the Market. The yearly event was put on by Fourth Generation, a program of the Minneapolis Foundation geared toward teaching young professionals about charitable giving. Each year Fourth Generation picks a theme for giving, and this year's efforts are aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs.

The event had several of the Twin Cities' top chefs preparing a slew of small plates and bites for guests to raise money to help young would-be business owners.

The local meat and bourbon slingers at Butcher & the Boar have decided to age with grace and dignity by setting up its one-year anniversary to coincide with its monthly beer bash and St. Patrick's Day. The mega-fest will take place on Sunday, March 17, and will feature a variety of events and Irish-themed goodies.

The announcement was made over the weekend through Butcher & the Boar's Facebook page and promises live Irish music, bourbon-cask aged brews, and Irish food done Butcher & the Boar style.

Today is Mardi Gras, and Barbette plans to celebrate in a blaze of food- and drink-filled glory. The popular Lake Street French bistro will be serving a special prix fixe menu coupled with its weekly happy hour offerings in celebration of the nation's biggest pre-Lenten party.

Barbette will feature several specials, including a four-course prix fixe menu tonight that will offer a nice smattering of traditional New Orleans-style cuisine and multiple happy hours with a variety of drink and snack specials.

If you've ever lived in Minneapolis, you know you've seen him. His notorious suits and infamous hair are things of local legend. Starting today, the Lowry in Uptown is hosting a week-long celebration in his honor. He is Scott Seekins.

All week long the Uptown restaurant will be featuring a variety of events all in the name of Seekins. If by chance you've never actually laid eyes upon the man, now's your chance. There will be art showings, a look-a-like contest, and yes, there will be a meet and greet. You'll even have a chance to get your hands on limited-edition pint glasses and T-shirts that bear his now iconic visage.

Are the food trucks that Minneapolis diners seem to love so much causing undo harm to existing businesses? Are they given an unfair competitive advantage by the state that traditional brick-and-mortars can't compete against? A group referring to itself as the Downtown Food Committee seems to think so. This Wednesday it will be holding a meeting open to all downtown retailers to discuss the issue.

The group is raising the idea of whether food trucks have created a competitive environment in which they are unable to effectively compete and are seeking ways to "improve the food truck ordinance so it works better for the residents, workers, food truck owners, and the restaurant owners in downtown Minneapolis," according to the flier they put out for Wednesday's event.

Here's more about the brand and the beers.

We know, there's already so much to do on Sundays in January that it would be impossible to fit in one more event (obviously we jest). The Minneapolis meat mavens at Butcher & the Boar are trying to break the cabin fever by hosting a beer bash in their heated beer garden. The beer bash starts at 4 p.m. on Sunday and rolls into the evening hours, finishing up at 10 p.m. The event will feature live music, sausages, and Surly beer.

The local coffee wizards at Dogwood coffee announced recently that they are going to be raising funds for a nonprofit organization called Charity: Water. Dogwood is trying to collect $10,000 to provide clean drinking water to an area in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.