By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
The love of bacon was overwhelming Saturday evening as at times the first ever Bucyrus Baconfest was packed tail to snout at The Loft at Pickwick Place.
Baconfest was a celebration of all things bacon from bacon pizzas to bacon bread, and even maple bacon ice cream and donuts. While various concoctions of pork treats had everybody squealing with glee, it may have been Mike Grau who went the most hog-wild as he won of the 2015 Harley Davidson XG 500 raffled off by Ohio Specialty Services Motor Ranch. Grau was ecstatic that his name was drawn and announced by Motor Ranch’s J.R. Jenney and Colby Bright.
“I don’t know what to say, Awesome.” Grau said. “I never figured it would be me, never figured it would be me.”
Grau added that this isn’t his first time on a Harley.
“I have had motorcycles most of all of my life, except the past few years, I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it. It’s all I have ever had are Harleys,” Grau explained.
Attending the event with her friend Lee Stober, Stella Teynor explained that she enjoyed Baconfest.
“It is very interesting, it is a little crowded, but that is expected I guess, because it is new in 
town,” Teynor said. “As we first came in I enjoyed a lasagna type thing, it had bacon, bacon, sausage and noodles. It was good, and I tried the bacon ice cream, and my friend bought some bacon donuts.”
“It is bacon, they got a lot of good stuff here,” Stober added.
Friends Sarah Hamilton and Clint Lester were taking in the sights, smells and tastes of Baconfest.
“Oh my gosh, it is so good. Who knew that maple bacon flavored ice cream would be so delicious,” Hamilton said.
“I enjoyed the pulled pork,” Lester added.
Baconfest wasn’t just a venue for people to pig out on pork treats, it was also a venue for vendors to show off their wares to the attendees. Brian Foley, owner of Dolci d’Italia presented his Italian baked goods to the masses. Foley explained how he became a vendor for the Baconfest.
“I never knew about Baconfest before and Claudia (Spiegel) called on the phone, and said ‘We need you to come out with your product. We have heard so much about your product, it’s a great product, please bring it out.’ So here we are.”
Foley described what he brought with him to the festival.
“With bacon we have cheddar bacon bread, we also have a maple-cheddar-bacon focaccia, and then we got some other flavors too; we got some cinnamon sugar, tomato basil, Italian olive, then a few of the breakfast breads; pumpkin chocolate chip, warm banana bread, so it is going to be a good evening.
Makin’ bacon in Crawford County for over 100 years, Hord Family Farms attended the event providing samples of pulled pork, candied bacon, as well as selling T-shirts.
“Our Hord Cares Team is offering bacon bundles as well as pork slider sandwiches. Our samples tonight were the candied bacon as well as the pork used in the sliders. Our Hord Cares Team is also selling the ever-famous bacon T-shirts tonight for $15, and everything that we do tonight benefits our Hord Cares Team, which in turn is what we use to give back to the community,” Janel Hord said.
After Baconfest wrapped up, the party moved across town for the Baconfest after party held at Old 30 BBQ. Pulling double duty and performing at both Baconfest and the after party was Brent Lowry and the Drifters.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2016 Bucyrus Baconfest
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