Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival » Hall

Winefest Des Moines Gets a Whiff of the Good Stuff

Hall — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:29:14 +0000

The Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival booth at Winefest Des Moines

The nation’s premiere bacon festival, The Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, has expanded its palates at Winefest Des Moines this summer. As an in-kind sponsor of one of Des Moines’ most celebrated annual outdoor events, the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival was able to share strips of Eden Farms bacon and caramel and bacon flavored cupcakes from Carefree Patisserie. “Our patrons enjoyed your wares and could smell you all throughout the festival,” stated Winefest’s key coordinator, Kit Curran.

Many patrons lined up to enjoy the savory mixture of Eden Farms Certified Berkshire Pork and the full bodied flavor of the wines available for tasting. “I can’t wait to go to the 2011 Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival next February,” exclaimed an overjoyed Winefest attendee.

Bacon Week kicks off by releasing “Blue” into the wild.

Hall — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:29:46 +0000

Bacon Week was officially kicked off today at Baby Boomer’s Cafe in Des Moines, IA with tasty bacon specials and the release of “Blue” into the wild. As the official mascot of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, Blue is excited about his new found celebrity status. “I’m just excited to be here and to be a part of the nation’s premiere bacon festival,” said Blue as he was preparing this morning’s meal of fried egg & bacon sandwiches, bacon pancakes, and of course, the world renowned “Obama cookies”. Blue decided to spice up the President’s daughters’ favorite chocolate chip cookies by mixing in some Niman Ranch applewood smoked bacon. “It’s glorious!” bellowed Blue.

Bacon specials will be featured for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day.

Bacon Internet Airwaves: Seth Hall and Brooks Reynolds Talk About Bacon Week and the upcoming Festival!

Hall — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:30:26 +0000

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, Bacon! The Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival recently spread the word of bacon across the internet airwaves in Iowa. A couple of recent radio shows are listed below for your entertainment:

The Up & Out morning show with Matt and Bit of Honey on Desmoineslocallive.com:
February 4th – Click here for the show
The Purple Matters show with Dave Price on Whoiapolitics.blogspot.com:
February 9th – Click here for the show
The Des Moines Register’s Juice:
February 17th – Click here for the article
Collection of pictures from previous years – Click here for slide show
Online pics from the last two years: Click here for slide shows

The Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival is SOLD OUT!!!

Hall — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:28:20 +0000

Tickets to the “3rd Annual Blue Ribbon Festival: 2010 A Bacon Odyssey – A Bacon Odyssey, One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Bacon” are officially sold out. 600 tickets were sold in 25 minutes through the Iowa Events Center ticket office today at noon. “We are overwhelmed with the positive response to the ticket sales this year and excited to have a bacon-drenched throw down with 600 of our newest friends,” says the face of bacon, Brooks Reynolds.

Capacity was more than doubled for this year’s event due to the positive response received at last year’s event. The Iowa Bacon Board is overjoyed at the response and is mindful of those bacon lovers who weren’t able to purchase a ticket in time before the event sold out. The Board will be congregating in the coming days to confer on possible adjustments to the event and expansion for future events.

Tickets are SOLD OUT! 3rd Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival

Hall — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:53:47 +0000

February 4th, 2010 (Des Moines, IA) – Tickets for this year’s Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival are on sale NOW exclusively through www.blueribbonbaconfestival.com beginning at high noon on Thursday, February 4^th. Tickets are $35 for entry into the main event on Saturday the 27th and a $100 ticket gets you entry to Saturday as well as the private dinner at Cafe di Scala on the evening of the 24th. We hope you can make it!

The event will be held at the Scottish Rite Consistory at 519 Park Street in downtown Des Moines on Saturday, February 27^th.

Schedule of Events*

10:00 am – Doors Open, Blazing Bacon Bloodies are Served, 1^st Course is Served, Sign In for Bacon Eating Contest Begins (Sign In Closes at 2:30 pm), DJ Patrick Porto Sets the Mood
10:45 am – Opening Ceremony, National Anthem by Special Guest, Bacon Invocation by the Godfather, Opening Remarks and 1^st Official “OHHH, Bacon!” Cheer
11:00 am – Bacon Showcase Opens and Parade of Pre-Cooked Bacon Explosions
11:15 am – Live Music Begins by the Saylor Hill Sliders, Lecture Hall Opens with First Seminar Entitled “A Driving Tour of Iowa Bacon” by Leo Landis, The Bacon Professor (This Lecture Will Be Repeated at 1:15 pm)
11:45 am – Second Seminar entitled, “Why Everything is So Much Better with Bacon” by Jonathan A. Campbell, MS with the Iowa State Meat Laboratory (This Lecture Will Be Repeated at 1:45 pm)
12:00 pm – 2^nd Course is Served
12:30 pm – Third Seminar entitled, “Templeton Rye Whiskey – An Iowa Classic” by Scott Bush, President of Templeton Rye
1:00 pm – Parade of Bacon Explosions by the BBQ Addicts, creators of the Bacon Explosion
2:00 pm – Bacon Popper Pizza served by Fong’s Pizza
2:30 pm – Bacon Desserts are Served
3:00 pm – Bacon Showcase Closes
3:15 pm – Bacon Eating Contest Begins
3:45 pm – Bacon Festival Closing Ceremony (Best Bacon T-Shirt Award Winner, Last “OHHH, Bacon” Cheer, Bacon Eating Champion Speaks)
4:00 pm – The After-Party Begins at High Life Lounge and El Bait Shop

* Times are subject to change

Facts:

What – Third Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival!

When – Saturday, February 27th, 10am – 4pm

Where – Scottish Rite Consistory, 519 Park Street, Des Moines, IA

Ticket Availability – Available for purchase through an online link located at www.blueribbonbaconfestival.com at high noon on Thursday, February 4^th

Cost – $35 per ticket which includes a commemorative t-shirt, koozie, a menu of 7 bacon items, unlimited bacon samples at the Bacon Showcase, live music, a seat in two bacon educational lectures and your first drink free

Consumption – 583 lbs of bacon was consumed at the 2nd Annual Bacon Festival in 2009, the Iowa Bacon Board has already secured over 1,050 lbs of bacon for this year’s event

Competition – Personal Trainer, Manni Balignasay is the back-to-back Blue Ribbon Bacon Eating Champion in 2008 & 2009

Bacon Showcase – In 2010 the following bacon brands will be showcased: Eden Farms, Farmland, Hormel, Iowa Farm Families, Niman Ranch and Vande Rose Farms

Iowa Bacon Board – Members include Suzanne Reynolds Arnold, Seth Hall, Mark Pederson, Caressa McCurnin, Logan Porter, Marshall Porter, Tom Porter, Brad Proctor, David Proctor, Brooks Reynolds, John Tiffany and Kevin Tiffany

Honorary Cardiologist – Jeffrey Olson, M.D. – Dr. Olson will be present, handing out business cards and discussing the benefits of a balanced bacon diet

Sponsors – Coors Original Banquet Beer, IP Pathways, Pearl Vodka, Reynolds & Reynolds, Iowa Pork Producers, Smarty Pig, Stivers Ford Lincoln Mercury, Scottish Rite Consistory, Vande Rose Farms, Niman Ranch, Fidelity Bank, Fong’s Pizza, Mr. Baconpants.com and Goin’ Postal

Ticket Information Is Released for 3rd Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival – 1,050 lbs of Bacon secured so far!

Hall — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:25:09 +0000

January 25, 2010 (Des Moines, IA) – After much anticipation, tickets to this year’s Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival will be sold exclusively through an online link located at www.blueribbonbaconfestival.com beginning at high noon on Thursday, February 4^th. The event will be held at the Scottish Rite Consistory at 519 Park Street in downtown Des Moines on Saturday, February 27^th.

“This year we’re preparing to accommodate our largest crowd ever, and I am finally beginning to feel comfortable with our bacon inventory,” Brooks Reynolds, Bacon Board spokesman says with relief. “So far, we’ve secured 1,050 lbs of bacon from our purveyors. With 600 participants expected, we’re guaranteed to have an average of 1 ½ lbs per person.” Last year 583 lbs of bacon was consumed by a crowd of 346 individuals.

Jeffrey Olson, M.D., the festival’s 2010 Honorary Cardiologist added, “I’m extremely excited for this year’s bacon festival. And, I plan on passing out business cards!”

The theme for this year’s festival is: “A Bacon Odyssey, One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Bacon.” Ticket cost for the event is $35 per person – ticket sales will be limited to 8 tickets per order. The ticket entitles the holder to a commemorative t-shirt, koozie, a menu of 7 bacon items, unlimited bacon samples at the Bacon Showcase, live music, a seat in two bacon educational lectures, and a free bacon bloody mary.

BACKGROUND: What started as one man’s passion for “all things bacon” has evolved into America’s premier bacon festival. In 2007, Brooks Reynolds of Des Moines gathered fellow bacon lovers and formed the Iowa Bacon Board with the mission of improving the enjoyment of all things bacon. Informal meetings of the group had been held for years with weekend retreats at Spirit Lake where each bacon fanatic would bring at least two pounds of bacon for consumption over a two-day period. On March 1^st, 2008, after several meetings between the Iowa Bacon Board, Full Court Press and In Any Event the festival was born: a day dedicated to nothing but Bacon.

###

Schedule of Events*

10:00 am – Doors Open, Blazing Bacon Bloodies are Served, 1^st Course is Served, Sign In for Bacon Eating Contest Begins (Sign In Closes at 2:30 pm), DJ Patrick Porto Sets the Mood
10:45 am – Opening Ceremony, National Anthem by Special Guest, Bacon Invocation by the Godfather, Opening Remarks and 1^st Official “OHHH, Bacon!” Cheer
11:00 am – Bacon Showcase Opens and Parade of Pre-Cooked Bacon Explosions
11:15 am – Live Music Begins by the Saylor Hill Sliders, Lecture Hall Opens with First Seminar Entitled “A Driving Tour of Iowa Bacon” by Leo Landis, The Bacon Professor (This Lecture Will Be Repeated at 1:15 pm)
11:45 am – Second Seminar entitled, “Why Everything is So Much Better with Bacon” by Jonathan A. Campbell, MS with the Iowa State Meat Laboratory (This Lecture Will Be Repeated at 1:45 pm)
12:00 pm – 2^nd Course is Served
12:30 pm – Third Seminar entitled, “Templeton Rye Whiskey – An Iowa Classic” by Scott Bush, President of Templeton Rye
1:00 pm – Parade of Bacon Explosions by the BBQ Addicts, creators of the Bacon Explosion
2:00 pm – Bacon Popper Pizza served by Fong’s Pizza
2:30 pm – Bacon Desserts are Served
3:00 pm – Bacon Showcase Closes
3:15 pm – Bacon Eating Contest Begins
3:45 pm – Bacon Festival Closing Ceremony (Best Bacon T-Shirt Award Winner, Last “OHHH, Bacon” Cheer, Bacon Eating Champion Speaks)
4:00 pm – The After-Party Begins at High Life Lounge and El Bait Shop

* Times are subject to change

Facts:

What – Third Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival!

When – Saturday, February 27th, 10am – 4pm

Where – Scottish Rite Consistory, 519 Park Street, Des Moines, IA

Ticket Availability – Available for purchase through an online link located at www.blueribbonbaconfestival.com at high noon on Thursday, February 4^th

Consumption – 583 lbs of bacon was consumed at the 2nd Annual Bacon Festival in 2009, the Iowa Bacon Board has already secured over 1,050 lbs of bacon for this year’s event

Competition – Personal Trainer, Manni Balignasay is the back-to-back Blue Ribbon Bacon Eating Champion in 2008 & 2009

Bacon Showcase – In 2010 the following bacon brands will be showcased: Eden Farms, Farmland, Hormel, Iowa Farm Families, Niman Ranch and Vande Rose Farms

Honorary Cardiologist – Jeffrey Olson, M.D. – Dr. Olson will be present, handing out business cards and discussing the benefits of a balanced bacon diet

The tickets are coming! The tickets are coming!

Hall — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:19:23 +0000

Tickets to the “3rd Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival 2010: A Bacon Odyssey. One Giant Step For Man, One Giant Leap For Bacon” will be available for purchase in the coming weeks, announces the Iowa Bacon Board. Watch this site for details in the coming weeks on how you can participate in the activities of this year’s “Bacon Week”. The week long celebration of all things bacon will include the folllowing:

BACON WEEK INCLUDES

Monday (2/22): Bacon specials will be served at Baby Boomers Cafe (think Obama girl cookies) in Des Moines’ East Village.
Tuesday (2/23): Homeless shelter dinner at United Shelter & Services for 120 people.
Wednesday (2/24): Bacon Elegance Dinner at Cafe di Scala. This annual dinner is a 6 course dinner created by chef and owner Tony Lemmo and Phil Shires. Tickets are $65 and limited to 60 attendees.
Thursday (2/25): Bacon specials at the El Bait Shop’s Jimmy Carter Happy Hour featuring the Iowa Homebrewers Union.
Friday (2/26): Enjoy time with your family and friends as you mentally prepare for Saturday’s premiere bacon festival!
Saturday (2/27): Be at the Des Moines Scottish Rite Masonic Center at 519 Park Street, Des Moines, IA when the doors open at 10am to enjoy the day’s festivities!

Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival Finds a Bigger Home

Hall — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:19:14 +0000

Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival

Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival will be held at the Scottish Rite Consistory on Saturday,
February 27th, 2010

November 10, 2009 (Des Moines, IA) – Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, America’s premier bacon festival, announces plans to become bigger and better in 2010. “Earlier this year, the Iowa Bacon Board made a commitment to the bacon community that our festival would accommodate more Baconphiles and offer more sizzle. So, that’s exactly what we are going to do,” says event cofounder and bacon connoisseur, Brooks Reynolds.

To accomplish the board’s vision the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival will move to the Scottish Rite Consistory, 519 Park Street in downtown Des Moines. The larger space will allow for additional attendance, more bacon purveyors, live music, comprehensive bacon education and better acoustics for ‘Ohhhhh, Bacon’ cheers. “Over the year I’ve toured bacon festivals across this great country, spoken with industry experts and developed relationships and ideas that will allow us to take 2010’s festival to new heights,” assures Reynolds.

Reynolds said he has not forgotten the festival’s roots. “The Iowa Bacon Board owes a lot of gratitude to Jeff Bruning and Full Court Press for hosting the event in 2008 and 2009. El Bait Shop and High Life Lounge will always be the original home of the bacon festival, and this is why I’m happy to announce it will be hosting the official Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival After-Party. The after-party will allow us to celebrate bacon into the night.”

What started as one man’s passion for “all things bacon” has evolved into America’s premier bacon festival. In 2007, Brooks Reynolds of Des Moines gathered fellow bacon lovers and formed the Iowa Bacon Board with the mission of improving the enjoyment of all things bacon. Informal meetings of the group had been held for years with weekend retreats at Spirit Lake where each bacon fanatic would bring at least two pounds of bacon for consumption over a two-day period. On March 1st,
2008, after several meetings between the Iowa Bacon Board, Full Court Press and In Any Event the festival was born: a day dedicated to nothing but Bacon.

Facts :

What – Third Annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival
When – Saturday, February 27th, 10am – 4pm
Where – Scottish Rite Consistory, 519 Park Street, Des Moines, IA
Ticket Availability – To Be Announced
Consumption – 583 lbs of bacon was consumed at the 2nd Annual Bacon Festival in 2009.
Competition – Manni Balignasay is the back-to-back Blue Ribbon Bacon Eating Champion in 2008 & 2009.
Bacon Showcase – In previous years the following bacon brands have been showcased: Eden Farms, Farmland, Hormel, Vande Rose Farms, Falls Brand, Polehnas, Django

The Bacon Board of Directors – Suzanne Reynolds Arnold, Seth Hall, Mark Pederson, Marshall Porter, Tom Porter, Brad Proctor, David Proctor, John Tiffany, Kevin Tiffany and Brooks Reynolds.