National Rum Day specials; Fried Chicken Fest; Can It! Academy

National Rum Day is Friday: So if you are looking for National Rum Day cocktail specials, you are in luck. Both locations of Stella Barra, in Santa Monica and Hollywood, are offering a Sailor Jerry rum float with Sailor Jerry spiced rum, Art in the Age Root liqueur, sweet vermouth and vanilla gelato for $8.95, available through Tuesday. At 320 Main in Seal Beach, all rum drinks are $2 off on Friday, including its Old Cuban (Santa Teresa Claro, fresh lime, sugar, mint and sparkling wine) and Vic’s Mai Tai (Appleton Jamaican rum, Clement VSOP, Creole Shrubb, orgeat and lime). Or check out happy hour (5 to 8 p.m.) at new downtown tequila and rum bar Ebanos Crossing; the Jet Scream is Jamaican rum, Crema de Mezcal, ginger, grapefruit, lemon and Trader Tiki’s Don’s Mix.

The fried chicken party of the year: Food GPS’ Fried Chicken Festival returns this year at LOT 613 in downtown’s Arts District. It happens Sept. 15 from 4 to 7 p.m. and features fried chicken from 11 L.A. chefs each cooking it in his or her own style, along with side dishes and desserts. There also will be craft beer and cocktails. Participating chefs: Susan Feniger of Street and Border Grill, David LeFevre of Fishing With Dynamite and M.B. Post, Cooks County’s Daniel Mattern and Roxana Jullapat, Jason Neroni of Superba Snack Bar, Spice Table’s Bryant Ng, Chris Oh of Seoul Sausage, Heirloom LA’s Matt Poley, Eduardo Ruiz of Corazon y Miel, Ernesto Uchimura of Plan Check and Ricardo Zarate of Mo-Chica, Paiche and Picca. Desserts will be provided by McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams and Sugarbloom Bakery. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. will be pouring beer for the event. Tickets are $55 per person in advance, and $65 at the door, if still available. VIP tickets for the event are $90 in advance and include reserved seating, one-hour early admission from 3 to 4 p.m., and a special cocktail created by Matthew Biancaniello. Part of the proceeds go to My Friend’s Place, which helps homeless youth in Hollywood. Buy tickets at foodgpsfriedchicken.nightout.com.

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Comprehensive canning, and more: Food Forward is collaborating with the Farmers Kitchen in Hollywood and chef Ernest Miller for its Can It! Academy, a 12-week food preservation certificate program that runs Sept. 18 to Dec. 11 on Wednesday evenings. The course includes lessons on how to implement the newly enacted California Cottage Home Food Law. Lessons are dedicated to jams, jellies, pickles, dehydration, charcuterie, beer-, cheese- and bread-making, and more. Miller has been lead instructor for the UC Cooperative Extension/L.A. County Master Food Preserver program for the last three years. The course is $1,495 (including books, tools and materials). All net proceeds go to fresh food rescuer Food Forward. Visit foodforward.org/get-involved/can-it for more information and an application. Classes take place 6:30 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Farmer’s Kitchen, 1555 Vine St., Hollywood.

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