Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival Finds a Bigger Home

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.