By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
The day everyone has been waiting for is almost here – Baconfest is getting ready to hit Bucyrus this weekend.
Bucyrus Baconfest, hosted by North Central Ohio Media Group, will be from 6 – 9 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Pickwick Place. Thanks to the efforts of Kim Goyer, general manager at NCOMG, and Claudia Spiegel, Bucyrus Baconfest is slated to be a bash all about bacon.
“We are super excited for Baconfest because everything tastes better with bacon,” Goyer said. “Our vendors are excited – they’re ready to meet and greet new people in our area. This is our first-ever event that everything focuses around bacon.”
One of the biggest events to happen during Baconfest will be a raffle conducted by Ohio Specialty Services Motor Ranch for a 2015 Harley-Davidson XG500. The benefit to those who bought a ticket to the event means they are already entered to win.
Brent Lowry of Brent Lowry and The Drifters will be performing from 6 to 7:30 p.m. then will be taking his act to the other side of town for the Baconfest After Party. The event will take place at either Old 30 Barbeque or Baker’s Pizza, depending on the weather.
While at Baconfest, however, bacon lovers will have plenty to do. The first 200 entrants will receive a maple syrup candle made by Crossroads Original Designs and a Bucyrus Baconfest chef’s apron courtesy of Avita Health System. Mathews Chevrolet will be giving away 200 T-shirts at their booth while those who stop by the HideAway Country Inn booth can be entered to win one of six VIP cards to the 1938 Restaurant and Pub.
Numerous food vendors will be on hand with samples of their own creations, such as maple and bacon ice cream from Mark’s Homemade Ice Cream, maple bacon cupcakes from A Sweet Touch of Ginger, bacon stuffed-crust pizza from Pizza Hut, candied bacon and sandwiches from Hord Family Farms, bacon-flavored brats from Carle’s Bratwurst, and cheddar bacon artisan bread from Dolci d’Italia.
The samples won’t stop there as Old 30 BBQ plans on bringing BBQ pulled pork with smoked pork belly “bacon.” The Pickwick Place will bring its slushy machine back out for the season and will have maple bacon donut samples, and Jayme Sue’s Cakes will offer cake samples and will raffle off a pig-shaped cake.
Baconfest organizers have not been shy about promoting the evening as a kid-friendly event, either. They have brought in the Bucyrus Public Library to host a bacon-related craft while hairstylists from Mirror Mirror Salon of Galion will put kids’ hair up in pigtails and set up a pig photo booth. The Bucyrus cheerleaders will also be face painting for the event.
Spiegel said Bernard the Bacon Strip – which she proudly said she named – will be wandering the floors of Pickwick Place for photo opportunities. The Bucyrus Fire Department will even swing by with one of its fire trucks from 6 to 9 p.m., the Crawford County Young Professionals will play host to another photo booth, and WQEL will have its spin wheel out.
All of the kid-friendly events will take place in the lower level of the Loft at Pickwick Place.
Tickets are still available for $10, but the price will jump to $15 if bought at the door on Saturday. Kids six and under will be admitted free.
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