For its first year, 2009, Baconfest was held at The Publican restaurant, attended by 75 guests with 10 chefs participating. The next year the festival moved to Logan Square and drew 600 visitors — then 1,600 the year after and 3,000 last year, both at UIC. This October, Baconfest is heading to San Francisco, with plans of expanding to Washington, D.C., and Green Bay, Wis. It's become a massive endeavor now, requiring 70 volunteers and 60 caterers, to the point Zurer hopes organizing the festival will become his full-time job. (The festival is donating $50,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository this year.)