Get Your Bacon Diploma at Keystone’s Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour June 25-26
If everything tastes better with bacon, then imagine what 3,000 lbs of bacon tastes like with even more bacon, chocolate, ice cream and beer. The Keystone Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour returns to Keystone’s River Run Village June 25-26 with bacon in just about every shape, size and variety, in addition to a Jim Beam Bourbon Tour, Bacon Bloody Mary’s, a Bacon Eating contest and the Bacon Education Center.
To say that the event is popular is an understatement, says Maja Russer, director of marketing and events for the Keystone Neighbourhood Company, who produces and organizes the Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour, along with five other signature summer festivals. “The event has tripled in size over the past few years,” Russer adds. “People love their bacon – to the point where they dress up like bacon at the festival and others trek from around the globe to Keystone for our event, which we believe is one of the highest bacon festivals in the world.”
To get a taste of the sizzling goodness, you’ll need to get your tasting tickets for just $4 per taste. Festival packages start at just $20 for the Piglet package (for kids) or go full bore and get the $50 Hungry Hog. Prices at the gate increase to $22 and $55. Other packages are available.
You’ll be able to sample strips of bacon or dishes like bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers, bacon ice cream, bacon s’mores, bacon cookies and more. Wash it all down with the festival Bacon Bloody Mary Bar, with plenty of “fixins”, including bacon, of course. The best bacon dish will be awarded in both the sweet and savory categories.
Pair all of that bacon with a Colorado brew or whiskey. This year, event organizers are expanding the Blue Ribbon Bacon Whiskey Tour. Cheers to that.
Make sure to capture your bacon loving moments on social. You could win free bacon for a year from Farmland if your selfie at the Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour is selected as the winner. Just tag #keystonebacon and “ham” it up.
Or, show off your love for bacon in the popular bacon-eating contest, sponsored by Farmland or get your Bacon Diploma at Bacon University that’s part of the Bacon Education Center. You’ll learn everything from bacon preparation and processing to the history of the sizzling meat.
Speaking of sizzle, the stage will be heating up with free music both Saturday and Sunday during the festival. It wouldn’t be a Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour at Keystone without Hell’s Belles. The all-female AC/DC cover band returns for their 6th appearance at the festival. In addition, shake your bacon to free music from Banditos, Dirty Bourbon River Show, King Cardinal, Rhythmic Statues and The Ballroom Thieves.
Feel good about being a pork dork. Like all of the other summer festivals produced by the Keystone Neighbourhood Company, a portion of the proceeds from the Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour will benefit The Friends of the Dillon Ranger District, a local nonprofit that protects our National Forest land.
Book your Festival Lodging getaway at www.keystoneresort.com.
Or visit www.summitcove.com where other weekend lodging packages are waiting.
Sponsors: Coors Brewing Company, New Belgium Brewing Company, Jim Beam, Farmland Bacon, Slifer Smith and Frampton Real Estate, Republic National Distributing Company Keystone Resort, SummitCove.com, Key to the Rockies
BY THE NUMBERS:
3,000 lbs. of bacon at the festival
25 gallons of bacon ice cream
50 lbs. of chocolate for bacon s’mores
1 bacon mascot named “Blue”
HASHTAGS: #keystonebacon