Yup, you gotta be fast, as this porky-palooza is so popular that tickets sell out in a snap. This year, there’s even a new lottery system for hotel packages because demand is just that high.

But then again, that’s not surprising, given that Chef Charlie Palmer’s sixth annual “Pigs & Pinot,” March 18-19, will bring together the best Pinots from more than 60 wineries and 10 top chefs to cook up a feast of porky goodness.

Among this year’s participating chefs are: Bryan Voltaggio (“Top Chef” finalist and chef-owner of Volt restaurant); his brother, Michael Voltaggio (who won “Top Chef”); Nancy Oakes of Boulevard restaurant; and Philippe Rispoli of France.

Sommeliers, including William Sherer of Aureole in Las Vegas and Fred Dame of Foster’s Wine Estates, will be lending their vino expertise.

Additionally, just like last year, Palmer is even raising two suckling pigs for the event, which are getting fattened up on trimmings from his Dry Creek Kitchen restaurant, as well as on spent barley and grain from nearby Bear Republic Brewing Company.

The two-day event will include food and wine seminars, tastings, and cook-offs. All proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength, as well as local education programs, including the Healdsburg Education Foundation.

Mark you calendar as tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. PST Jan. 21 at PigsandPinot.com. You can purchase tickets to the entire event or just to the March 18 tasting extravaganza for $150 per person or to individual seminars for $75 per person.

You can enter the lottery for package deals, which includes lodging at the Hotel Healdsburg or H2Hotel, from now through Jan. 12.

And if you’re lucky enough to be a Visa Signature cardholder, you can take part in the pre-sale event (sounds so Nordstrom-like, doesn’t it?), 11 a.m. Jan. 18 through Jan. 20. During that time, you get 15 percent off of package prices and 5 percent off of a la carte ticket prices.

More: Preparations for Pigs and Pinot 2010

More: My Q&A with Chef Charlie Palmer