Mr. Baconpants

The San Diego County Fair welcomes back the 2nd annual Big Bite Bacon Fest for a day of indulgent cuisine, craft beer, and entertainment on July 5.

[San Diego, Calif.] – The Big Bite Bacon Fest returns to The San Diego County Fair on Saturday, July 5 for a deliciously unforgettable day of tastings and entertainment. The scent of sweet and savory bacon delicacies will fill the Del Mar Arena, where guests can indulge in innovative cuisine complimented by an impressive selection of local San Diego craft beer. Bacon-inspired games and pageants will set the tone for the highly anticipated Bacon Dream Wedding and Big Bite Bacon Dish cook-off competition.

Two tasting sessions are available beginning at 11 a.m., and will kick off with opening ceremonies featuring the “Pardoning of The Pig” and “The Bacon Anthem.” Fans of the World Cup can kick back and watch the quarterfinals on the arena jumbotron while sampling lagers and ales from stand out breweries including Ballast Point, Green Flash, Intergalatic, and Pizza Port. Stone Brewery, Coronado Brewery, and several others will also offer tastings to wash down the addictively salty bacon cuisine.

Culinary boundaries are pushed to bacon extremes and allow chefs from across San Diego County to showcase their skills to bacon lovers of all ages. Chef Jesse Lopez will reveal a handful of dishes including Bacon Cheese Balls in Phillo Cups and Bacon Wrapped Siracha Shrimp. Moink Balls (moo + oink) are quickly becoming a staple for bacon lovers and Meat Inc. will be sampling the mouth-watering bacon wrapped meatballs to attendees. Mexico City Cuisine will be dishing up Drunk Chicken & Bacon BBQ, and burger lovers can sample the BBB’ Bacon Burger courtesy of Slater’s 50/50.

Savory delights aren’t the only tasty bites at this year’s BBBF, tantalizing sweet treats are creating quite a buzz. Farrell’s Ice Cream pays homage to The King with their Hunka Hunka Bacon Love Sundae made with butter pecan ice cream, peanut butter, bananas, bacon, chocolate, and caramel sauce. For breakfast lovers, San Diego’s Donut Bar will be serving Vermont Maple Bacon Donuts, echoed by more breakfast inspired cuisine from Yummy Cupcakes who will be sampling Bacon & Pancake Cupcakes.

Guests attending the lunchtime session will swoon over the dream bacon wedding, which will be held during half time of the World Cup quarterfinals. Bride to be Rachel Elkin will say “I do” to her groom Ryan Peters amidst bacon décor and a bacon clad wedding party, with a special guest appearance from a live teacup pig. Onlookers sporting pig noses will cheer on the newlyweds as they head out of the arena in a shower of bacon bits.

The scrumptious bacon tastings will have dinner session guests primed and ready for the Big Bite Bacon Dish live cook-off competition. Three pro finalists, all chefs hailing from San Diego, include Leo Garcia of Mexico City Café, Derek Jaeger of The Cravory, and Matt Ham of La Jolla Brewery. The amateur finalists include San Diego locals Tore Trupiano, Tammy Zeigler, and Juli Hull. Each of the three pro chefs will be paired with one of the amateur chefs and a child chef to compete in the annual Dish contest. Guests can cheer their favorite team to victory for their stake in a prize package that includes $1,500 and automatic entry to the World Food Championship in Las Vegas.

Tickets include unlimited bacon tastings and access to The San Diego County Fair and range from $45 for Sober Pig/Piglets to $75 for 21+ VIP. Prices will increase day of the event. Kids ages 5 and under can attend for free. Ten 3 oz beer samples are included in 21 + ticket prices. VIP’s receive access to the event one hour prior to the general public and can enjoy the exclusive VIP lounge with seating and a private bar. VIP’s will also leave with an exclusive “Swine Swag Bag.”

The Big Bite Bacon Fest continues to earn global attention for irresistible food and outrageous entertainment. Stay tuned for more information on the Big Bite Bacon Fest August 2 at the Queen Mary in Long Beach! For more information about this one-of-a-kind “Foodtainment” event visit www.bigbiteevents.com.

About Big Bite Events
Big Bite Events (BBE) brings a new style of culinary events to “Foodie” communities nationally. BBE is a division of Absolute Event Solutions Inc. (AES) and together have more than 20 years of experience in the event planning industry, developing and managing some of the largest festivals and events in North America. http://bigbiteevents.com

About the Del Mar Fairgrounds
Here comes the FUN! “The Fab Fair” is the theme for the 2014 San Diego County Fair, presented by Albertsons/Sav-on, paying tribute to the British Invasion that revolutionized the music industry 50 years ago in the United States and around the world. The 2014 Fair will feature British Pop Culture, music and exhibitions NEVER BEFORE seen in California. The summer starts with Food, Fun and Frolic at the 2014 San Diego County Fair!
The Fair will open on Saturday June 7 and run through Sunday, July 6; closed on Mondays and the first two Tuesdays. The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and one of the top 10 Fairs in the United States and Canada, drawing more than 1.4 million visitors annually. Admission is $14 for adults; $8 for ages 6-12 and 62 and older; free for ages 5 and younger. For more information visit, www.sdfair.com

About the Queen Mary
Located in the Port of Long Beach, the Queen Mary features a rich maritime history, authentic Art Deco décor, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Long Beach city skyline. At the time of her maiden voyage in May of 1936, she was considered the grandest ocean liner ever built. The Queen Mary’s signature restaurants include the award-winning Sir Winston’s and Chelsea Chowder House & Bar as well as a weekly Champagne Sunday Brunch served in the ship’s Grand Salon. History buffs enjoy the ship’s museum and Glory Days tour, guests of all ages love the Ghosts and Legends show, and the ship is currently featuring the renowned Diana: Legacy of a Princess exhibit and Tea Room. The Queen Mary features 80,000 square feet of event space in 14 remarkable Art Deco salons as well as a tri-level, 45,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall. The Queen Mary boasts 346 staterooms including nine full suites. For more information or for reservations, see www.queenmary.com or call (800) 437-2934. The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queens Highway in Long Beach.