It's time for the 11th Annual Taste of Petaluma festival, which bills itself as the city's "premiere culinary event of the year." Here's how it works: for one night on August 20, the city's historic downtown neighborhood transforms itself into a huge food-themed celebration, where guests are invited to sample some of the finest creations of local chefs.

When you arrive, you'll get a map that shows more than 40 different participating restaurants, bars, galleries, and shops, as well as a packet of ten tasting tickets. Choose your ten favorite business on the map and have fun visiting them all. You might start at a gastropub, for example, and snack on barbecue chicken sliders before moving onto an art gallery to sip a glass of wine while you appreciate the work of local artists. You can spontaneously choose which sites to visit on the night of the festival, or you can register online to create your own customized tour through Petaluma's culinary delights.

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