You don't have to be a foodie to know bacon is a sizzling trend. Bacon fans love to bond over their favorite food, which explains why Iowa's Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival doubled ticket sales for 2012. But it still wasn't enough to satisfy the public's appetite for smoked meaty treats: Nearly 5000 tickets sold out in less than half an hour.
Thousands of people came together to celebrate slams of fatty pork products at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines Saturday February 18. Organizers say about three tons of pork was consumed during the pig-out.
"We never in our wildest dreams thought it would come to this," says Bacon Fest organizer Brooks Reynolds, but adds "everybody loves bacon."
This was the 5th annual bacon fest, dubbed "Baconpocalypse Now: I love the smell of bacon in the morning" Tickets cost $45 each. That got hungry bacon fans a commemorative T-shirt, a few gifts AND a dazzling display of bacon-inspired delights from pork tacos to bacon brownies.
Festival-goer Mike Vogel told HLN affiliate WHO-TV he came prepared. "I took a hiatus of two weeks before I came here so I didn't burn out and probably won't eat much for another week or so after," Vogel said.
One baker says her bacon butterscotch cupcakes were nearly gone in the first half hour of the meaty fest. Pastry chef Megan LaSuer said it was all about that salty and sweet love-match.
If you missed Iowa's corn-fed bacon-poolza, fear not. You can still chew the fat at BaconFest Chicago. It's set to start sizzlin' on April 14 and tickets go on sale Monday, February 20. That's TODAY!
Join the conversation...