Cinco de Mayo is Monday, but many Mexican restaurants are kicking off their celebrations Saturday. Here are five of the hottest parties in the East Valley this weekend:

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When a marketing flack offered to send me a review copy of “King Corn,” which comes out on DVD today, I promised “to take a look at it.” I never thought I’d enjoy it. After all, it’s a documentary about corn.

Boy, was I wrong. Part “Supersize Me” and part “Fast Food Nation,” “King Corn” is a fascinating and eye-opening look at our nation’s increasing reliance on corn — and its effect on our health.

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I look at the pizza smothered in mushrooms.

“Are there supposed to be mushrooms on this?” I ask.

“Yes, of course,” the server says.

“Are you sure?” I ask again. “I thought the menu said it comes with just sausage, peppers and onions.”

“No, it definitely comes with mushrooms,” he says.

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Baskin-Robbins stores hold their second annual 31-cent Scoop Night from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. The promotion supports the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Participating restaurants in the East Valley: 4970 S. Alma School Road, Chandler; 1229 S. Power Road, Mesa; 4406 E. Main St, Suite 101, Mesa; 3108 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe; 1715 E. Guadalupe Road, Tempe; 5035 E. Elliot Road, Ahwatukee; 6501 E. Greenway Parkway, Scottsdale; and 20567 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale.

The good news: Tuesday (April 29) is Ben & Jerry’s annual Free Cone Day! The bad news: The Ben & Jerry’s at 92nd Street and Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale is the only East Valley location participating in the nationwide promotion. The other Ben & Jerry’s, at el Pedregal in north Scottsdale, will not be participating.

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Pacific Bay Company, the first high-end seafood restaurant to open in northeast Mesa, has closed. Chris and Andrea Blazier opened Pacific Bay in July 2006 in the Villages at Las Sendas shopping center on the northeast corner of McDowell and Power roads.

A message on the restaurant’s answering machine explains, “We’ve had a really fun couple of years serving Mesa, but Mesa just didn’t embrace and support us like we anticipated they would.”

“Hot” is the best word to describe My Nana’s Salsa Challenge, which drew close to 25,000 people to Tempe Beach Park on Saturday. With 90-degree temperatures, no breeze and not a cloud in the sky, I saw a lot of sunburned attendees (including yours truly) sampling salsas from nearly 100 competitors.

Some salsas were hot, some were mild. Many competitors offered both. I tried about 20 and almost all were delicious. It would have been very difficult to pick a winner. (I declined an invitation to be one of the judges this year because I wanted to walk the grounds and just enjoy the day.)

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Drift Polynesian Restaurant and Tiki Bar in downtown Scottsdale is offering a cool summer happy hour special from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

Besides two-for-one deals on wine, well and drafts, the same applies to specialty drinks like Blue Hawaiians, Sex on the Beach, Long Island Iced Teas, Scorpions, Mai Tais, Zombies and Hurricanes.

A buffet of Polynesian appetizers, which will change daily, is complimentary with drink purchase. Info: (480) 949-8454.

I stopped by one of my favorite Scottsdale restaurants, Fusion, the other day to reacquaint myself with their fabulous Gladiator Burger (pictured above). I learned from JenLyn Long, who owns the restaurant with her husband/chef Matt, the couple has a pair of exciting projects in the works.

And I’m not talking about the almost-completed W Hotel, whose construction mess has been snarling traffic in front of the restaurant for what seems like 10 years.

No, the first piece of news is the Longs are opening a second restaurant, which will be called Daily Dose, not too far away at Scottsdale Road and First Avenue.

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Schnepf Farms‘ final orchard dinner of the season takes place Saturday, May 10. Fewer than 40 tickets remain for the 100-person dinner, which will be prepared by chef Eddie Matney, who’s about to open his new restaurant, Eddie’s House, in Scottsdale.

The four-times-a-year event, which always has sold out, takes place in the peach orchard of Mark and Carrie Schnepf’s Queen Creek farm (pictured above) and has featured a who’s who of Valley chefs, such as Robert McGrath, Aaron May, Vincent Guerithault and Beau MacMillan.

The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m., and the price is $70 per person, which includes food, wine, tax and gratuity. (Next fall, the price will go up to $90). Dress is “farm casual,” so think jeans or linen shorts. Info: (480) 987-3100.