BaconFest: Unique event in South Cape on Aug. 6
Tickets are on sale for one of the South Cape’s most unique events – and it involves bacon.
The annual South Cape BaconFest will be held on Aug. 6 from 7 to 11 p.m. This year, 12 venues will take part by each offering a food and drink item, with one or both centered around the bacon theme.
Last year, there were 1,000 people in attendance as the tickets sold out.
“It’s a very popular event,” Pamela Hazelton, spokeswoman for the South Cape Hospitality and Entertainment Associations – the organizations putting on the event – said on Thursday.
Asked why it is such a big hit, she pointed to the word “bacon.”
“That’s really what sells the event,” Hazelton said.
“These places always come up with unique ways to pair bacon,” she added. “Bacon-ingredient drinks or bacon-themed appetizers, some of them are doing both a bacon-themed drink and appetizer.”
For example, Rack’em Billiards will be serving up a drink called When Pigs Fly, which will consist of bourbon, ginger ale and bacon syrup, along with Piggy Wiggly – mini-sausages in bacon syrup.
“So that’s going to be pretty interesting,” she said.
Noela Chocolate & Confections will have samples of Wicked Rum punch, but it will be paired with coconut bacon salt and candied bacon bark for a unique but complementary flavor combination.
“Bacon and chocolate go great together,” Hazelton said.
At BackStreets Sports Bar, attendees will enjoy jalapeno bacon margaritas.
“Bacon, a little spice,” she said. “I’m not sure what else they’re going to put in the margarita.”
Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 day of, if any are left; only 1,200 tickets are available.
Designed driver tickets are also available for $25 each.
“We’ve increased it to give more people the opportunity to attend,” Hazelton said.
The check-in booths will be open from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Big John’s Plaza and Club Square parking lots. Late check-in will be available after 7:30 p.m. at the Dixie Roadhouse and Cruiser’s Lounge.
Attendees will be given a passport that will include a map of the participating locations, which they get stamped at each spot. There is also a section for them to fill in their favorites among three categories.
“Attendees can vote on who has the best,” she said.
There will be the best bacon-themed drink, bacon-themed appetizer and overall bacon experience.
“When they reach their last location, they hand in that passport,” Hazelton said.
As a trolley event, people can hop on and hop off to visit each location.
“There’s a lot of fun on the trolleys,” she said.
Each will have a trolley host to make the experience memorable, and attendees can win trinkets and products from area businesses or gift cards to participating venues by answering trivia questions.
“It’s always a blast getting on and off the trolleys,” Hazelton said.
“People always love the trolley events,” she added.
Advance tickets are available at the venues and the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral.
“Every participating locations has tickets to sell,” Hazelton said.
Advance tickets can also be purchased online at: www.eventbrite.com/.
“On the day of, they can still buy them online, even up until after the event starts,” she said.
Day of tickets, if any are leftover, can also be purchased at the check-in booths.
Hazelton noted that the tickets are transferable.
“The tickets are not tied to a specific person,” she said.
The event is only open to ages 21 and older.
For more information on the South Cape BaconFest, visit: www.southcapeentertainment.com/ or on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/SouthCapeHospitalityAndEntertainmentAssociations/.