Pigs on Penn Bacon Festival: Taste bacon milkshakes, bacon jam, more treats
If you go
What: Pigs on Penn Bacon Festival
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 6
Where: Market and Penn Farmers Market, 380 W. Market St., York
Cost: Free admission, vendors and games are pay as you go
Proceeds benefit: Market and Penn Farmers Market initiatives to start an indoor garden and provide a learning center for inner city children.
Parking: Free parking is available at Susquehanna Commerce Center or at York's three downtown garages.
Hashtag: Use the hashtag #BaconKingYork and #BaconQueenYork for a chance to be crowned the Bacon King or Queen.
For more information: Visit downtownyorkpa.com/events/baconfest .
Love bacon?
So does Jimmy Ilyes. In fact, this local deli owner and his family have their own bacon recipe.
So, when Ilyes was trying to come up with an idea to bring more people into the market that houses his Market House Edibles deli, a bacon festival seemed like a natural choice.
"I like bacon and I have a lot of friends that like bacon," he said. "We thought it would be a good idea to get people together to help support (Market & Penn Farmers Market)."
Ilyes is expecting more than 1,000 people to attend the first-ever Pigs on Penn Bacon Festival at the market on Saturday.
Guests can taste bacon-inspired treats from about 25 vendors, including 10 market vendors.
Some of the vendors will come from as far as Delaware and New Jersey, but local options include pretzels stuffed with bacon jam and cheese from York City Pretzel, bacon caramel squares made with Market House Edibles' bacon from Judy Mae's Old Fashioned Treats, and bacon milkshakes from Scoops Ice Cream & Grille.
While bacon is the main attraction, the festival is not just about the food.
Pigs on Penn kicks off at 11 a.m. with the Blessing of the Bacon by a local pastor, followed by other games and activities until 4 p.m.
Activities and games include a hay bale maze and pig petting zoo set up in the market's parking lot, plus a hog calling contest and CrossFit York's tire flipping contest. The winner of the tire flipping contest will win a pound of bacon.
Guests can also pay to nominate their friends for a pig kissing contest.
Then, watch the crowning of the Bacon King and Bacon Queen. The crown could be yours if you post a photo on Instagram or Facebook showing how much you love bacon. Make sure to use the hashtag #BaconQueenYork or #BaconKingYork. The top three photos with the most likes will be on display for voting at the festival.
The winner will receive a pound of bacon and a ride in the WECO float at York's Halloween parade.
Proceeds from these contests and games will go to the market to further initiatives, such as starting an indoor garden and providing a learning center for inner city children, Ilyes said.
"We got a grant to do field trips to get kids in the market to learn about fruits and vegetables," he said. "Further in the future, the idea is to get the kids to do growing in the market."
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