Greetings Bacon Nation,

T-minus 60 days to Baconfest Chicago 2012.  Tickets will be going on sale later this month (thanks to our ticketing sponsor Eventbrite!).  If you are not on the mailing list, sign up here.  In the past, BFC tickets have sold out lighting fast.  Historical fact.

As of this writing, we have over 100 incredible chefs/restaurants who’ve signed on to celebrate bacon with you, and we are pleased to share the schedule of exhibiting restaurants for April 14th.

Due to the AMAZING number of restaurants interested in exhibiting at Baconfest, and based on some feedback we got about last year’s event in terms of crowd flow, we have decided to separate the day on April 14th into TWO exhibition sessions:  a Lunch Shift and a Dinner Shift.  This dual shift model gives us the ability to accommodate more chefs and guests throughout the day while increasing our charitable donation to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, all while preserving what we love most about the event.

Each session will feature:

• Over 50 restaurants/chefs who will be sharing their bacon-creations with our guests.
• Approximately 20 vendors who will be sampling their bacon-related wares.
• Approximately 7 liquor sponsors who will be serving beer and bacon-based cocktails.

Tickets are all inclusive – general admission tickets cost $75.00 each; VIP tickets cost $150.00.  Each ticket is valid only for the session for which it was purchased.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again:  Baconfest Chicago would not possible without the help of our generous Sponsors.

Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats is the Official Bacon Sponsor of BFC.  They are donating SO MUCH BACON to our various chefs to use in their dishes.  They are cool AND their bacon is just amazing. Props to our media sponsor the Chicago Reader, and to FIG Catering for helping us throw this party.

Booze.  So news flash, bacon can be salty.  Well, thanks to the support of our liquor sponsors, we’ve got you covered.  Goose Island, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Greenbush Brewery will be on hand with beer.  More of a cocktail person?  Templeton Rye is whipping up a bacon/whiskey concoction, The Fifty/50 will be serving their “Wobble Stopper” – the official bloody mary of BFC, Bakon Vodka and the Piggery will be teaming up to do an assortment of bacon-cocktails, and Candid Wines/Santome will be on hand with their vino.

Last but not least, (and Bacon Nation, believe me when I say that every time I look at this list, I get a little weepy with joy), below are the stars of our show, the people who are donating their time and talent inspired by their love of bacon, their desire to share that love with you all, and in support of and solidarity with our charity partner The Greater Chicago Food Depository.  Nation, below are your 2012 Baconfest Chicago Exhibiting Chefs/Restaurants.

You’ll be hearing from us shortly with more info on ticket sales and ticket giveaway contests.

Until then, “Stay bacony my friends….  Stay bacony.”

Andre, Michael and Seth
Co-founders, Baconfest Chicago

Schedules are subject to change slightly!

LUNCH Session 1: VIP Hour – 11:30am-12:30pm, General Admission – 12:30pm-3pm
[catlist id=30 orderby=title order=asc numberposts=-1] DINNER Session 2: VIP Hour – 5:30pm-6:30pm, General Admission – 6:30pm-9pm
[catlist id=31 orderby=title order=asc numberposts=-1]

Our Sponsors