SPECIAL EVENTS

Kona Chocolate Festival, four-day event begins with kick-off dinner of three courses inspired by chocolate and chocolate dessert treats, 7 p.m. today, Fujimamas Restaurant; $60. Reservations: (808) 327-2125. Festival continues through Saturday at various Kona locations. www.konachocolatefestival.com.

Australian Wines, tasting from vintners, 1-5 p.m. Saturday, The Wine Stop; free. 946-3707.

TOURS & TASTINGS

Matthew Gray's Hawaii Food Tours offers three guided restaurant tours — Hole-in-the Wall, Hawaiian Feast and Gourmet Trilogy — in and around Honolulu; $99, $149 and $199. Reservations: 926-3663, www.HawaiiFoodTours.com.

A Cook's Tour of Chinatown, Walter Rhee leads a tour of downtown markets: learn about meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Saturdays, meet near Hawaii National Bank between King and Smith streets; $15. Also, Rhee leads a tour of Chinatown eateries, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturdays, meet at same location; $59. Reservations: 391-1550.

Merriman's Farm Visits and Dinner, half-day excursions to two Big Island farms that supply the restaurant, followed by a four-course dinner prepared from locally grown ingredients, 2:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, Merriman's Restaurant, Waimea, Big Island; $155 (all-inclusive). Reservations: (808) 331-8505.

Vanilla Experience Luncheon, five-course lunch with dishes prepared using Hawaiian vanilla and fresh Island produce, 12:30-2 p.m. Thursdays, The Vanilla Mill, Pa'auilo, Big Island; $30. (808) 776-1771.

Gourmet Cooking Hawaii offers hands-on and demonstration cooking classes with Island chefs in their restaurants. Choose your own chef, menu and date or join preset classes offered on Saturdays throughout the year. Schedule, pricing and booking information: www.gourmetcookinghawaii.com, 735-7788.

TV SHOWS

"Dining Out With Chai," Chai Chaowasaree of Chai's Island Bistro and Singha Thai Cuisine hosts a TV show with cooking tips and information on Hawai'i and Mainland restaurants, 5 p.m. Sundays, KHON 2. 381-8483, 585-0011.

"Shig Happens!" food-safety TV show with chef Henry Holthaus, instructor at Kapi'olani Community College Culinary Institute of the Pacific, 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays on Oceanic Cable channel 55. www.shighappens.com.

MARKETS

Farmers' Market, cooking demonstrations, produce, meats, seafood and flowers, 7:30-11 a.m. Saturday, Kapi'olani Community College, Parking Lot C. 848-2074.

Sunset Country Market, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, Sunset Beach Elementary School, Hale'iwa. 237-8248.

Farmers' Market, sponsored by Hawaii Farm Bureau, 8-11 a.m. Sundays, Mililani High School, in front of the gym. 848-2074.

Country Market & Craft Fair, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays, Waimanalo Homestead Community Center, 1330 Kalaniana'ole Highway. 259-5349.

Farmers' Market, fruits and vegetables, 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, Hawaii Kai Towne Center. 396-0766.

Fresh Tuesdays, locally grown produce with free food samples, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays, Kaiser Nanaikeola Clinic lobby. 432-2270.

Waikiki Farmers' Market, fruits, vegetables, musubi and chow mein, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, Waikiki Community Center parking lot. 923-1802.

Fresh Wednesdays, 8-11 a.m. first and third Wednesdays, Kaiser Ko'olau Clinic (432-3800); also, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays, Kaiser Waipi'o Clinic (432-3100).

Fort Street Open Market, produce, plants, flowers and arts and crafts, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays, Pauahi and Fort streets; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays and Tuesdays, Wilcox Park (in front of Macy's). 538-8005.

Fresh Thursdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursdays, Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center. 432-2270.

Kailua Farmer's Market, with prepared foods, such as plate dinners, pies, cookies, jams and sauces in addition to fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, herbs and flowers, 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Kailua Town Center parking garage (behind Longs Drugs on Kailua Road). 848-2074.

Fresh Fridays, locally grown produce, healthy cooking demonstrations, educational information on disease prevention through good nutrition, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Fridays, Kaiser Honolulu Clinic. 432-2000.

Aloha Friday Farmer's Market, fresh produce, food products and entertainment, noon-6 p.m. Fridays, Maui Community College, Kahului. (808) 268-3276.

Send announcements, with contact name and phone number, to: Culinary Calendar, Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com, with "Cul Cal" in the subject line; or fax 525-8055.