When is Baconfest Chicago 2020?

Baconfest Chicago 2020 will be on Saturday April 18!

Saturday Lunch – April 18

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM VIP hour

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM General Admission Period

Saturday Dinner – April 18

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM VIP Hour

7:00 PM -10:00 PM General Admission Period

To receive word about upcoming events, please subscribe to the Baconfest email list.

What about COVID-19?

Here’s our statement about our events and the coronavirus.

What about Friday Dinner? April 17?

We’re launching a brand new event on Friday April 17 that we are sure you’re gonna love. Da Best Fest premieres in 2020 with a single session devoted to imaginative and traditional versions of iconic Chicago dishes. Think hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches and pizza, of course, as well as other local signature dishes like Shrimp de Jonghe, Chicken Vesuvio, flaming saganaki and more. More information and tickets here: dabestfest.com

What is Baconfest Chicago?

Baconfest Chicago is a nationally renowned, locally beloved festival dedicated to America’s favorite cured meat: bacon! At Baconfest, Chicago’s best chefs concoct and serve brilliant bacon dishes to thousands of passionate bacon lovers. Liquor sponsors provide cocktails, beer and wine designed to complement a bacon meal. Bacontrepreneurs and bacon-friendly brands exhibit their wares and connect with our bacon community. A panel of judges bestows the Golden Rasher awards on chefs and guests for achievement in the bacon arts. It is a raucous, rockin’ good time for everybody involved.

Is Baconfest good for America? Do you support a charity?

You betcha, Baconfest is good for America. We donate a portion of the proceeds to the Greater Chicago Food Depository; we host a raffle and food drive at the event to support the GCFD’s mission; we’ve even run Baconfest volunteer days at the Depository’s repacking warehouse to help eliminate hunger in our community. We’re proud that Baconfest supports this important work and we hope you’ll join us in supporting the GCFD too.

Where is Baconfest Chicago?

Baconfest Chicago happens at the UIC DORIN FORUM – 725 W Roosevelt Road – Chicago, IL 60607 View Map

For more info, visit UIC FORUM

How much are tickets? How can I get them?!

Tickets are on sale now at baconfestchicago.com/ticket.

General Admission tickets cost $85 + fees.

VIP tickets cost $160 + fees.

VIP tickets grant the holder early access to Baconfest – VIP ticket holders can attend the VIP Hour and the General Admission period for the session selected.

Each ticket allows access for one guest to the shift selected. If you wish to attend multiple shifts, you’ll need to purchase tickets for each shift.

There are a few additional General Admission ticket types:

Bacon-Only / No Alcohol – $60 + fees: teetotalers save by sticking to complimentary soft drinks.

Group Rates (minimum quantity 5) – $70 + fees: bring the whole bacon posse and save.

These rates are valid for advance purchase only and will not be available at the door.

Finally, to welcome our sister event Da Best Fest to the world, we’re offering ticket bundles for customer who wish to attend both Da Best Fest on Friday April 17 and Baconfest’s Dinner session on Saturday April 18.

General Admission Bundles – $140 + fees: save $20 and get GA tickets to Da Best Fest and Baconfest Dinner

VIP Bundles – $240 + fees: save $50 and get VIP tickets to Da Best Fest and Baconfest Dinner

In previous years, Baconfest tickets have sold out. We suggest you sign up for our email list. You can also follow us on Twitter (@baconfestchi) and like us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/baconfest) to receive updates on when tickets will go on sale and to get first notification of ticket giveaways and contests.

Fees? Ugh!

We feel you. We are obliged by the terms of our rental contract with the Forum to pass along the following fees for ticket purchases.

Universe.com Service Fee: $7.00 / ticket

UIC Forum Facility Charge: $1.00 / ticket

You can avoid all fees (except the $1 / ticket Facility Charge) by purchasing tickets in person at the UIC Pavilion Box Office at 525 South Racine Ave. The UIC Pavilion Box Office is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

What is included?

Tickets are all-inclusive entry passes to our bacon wonderland. When you buy a ticket for a shift, you get

– Access to the chef area and many tasting portions of the chefs’ bacon-ingenuity.

– Seven (7) Drink Tickets, each one good for a hefty tasting portion of each liquor sponsor’s wares. Bacon-Only ticket holders do not receive drink tickets.

– Access to Baconfest’s exhibiting sponsors and experience partners who provide samples of ingenious bacon products (as available) and the opportunity to purchase those products bacon-related products.

Access to the chef area? What’s that about? How much bacon will I get to eat?

We will have tasting portions of bacon snacks from approximately 30-40 chef stations per shift. First come, first served until portions run out. We know there will be die-hards who will attempt to eat everything. We will not call you an ambulance. We know that some people will be happy to get tastes of their top 10 chefs. We anticipate that everyone will have bacon coming out of their ears before the day is out.

Can I get seconds of any of the dishes?

Will we be retina scanning you to see if you’ve already been to a table? No. Do we trust your sense of fairness and respect for fellow guests? Yes!