Event information
Who would have thought that love for a meat product could bring about a festival dedicated to it? That’s the reality of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival at the Iowa Event Center at 730 3rd St., Des Moines. In 2001, a group of people used their annual weekend retreat as an opportunity to enjoy and celebrate bacon.
By 2008, that “Iowa Bacon Board” led by Iowa realtor Brooks Reynolds, had organized a world premiere festival: Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival. In 2008, a mere smattering of people turned up to celebrate, around 200. In 2009, another hundred would appear.
However, by 2010, all 600 tickets had sold out in half an hour, and over 30,000 bacon strips were sold. By 2011, it took four minutes to sell out of 1,500 tickets. The festival’s future was sealed.
In recent years, the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival is an annual event that brings around 14,000 people to Des Moines, Iowa, every year. It’s a festival of food you don’t want to miss. It celebrates all things bacon, with competitions, bacon eating competitions, food, beverages, and more.
If you’re trying to shake away the winter blues, then this event can help you do just that. Could it be time for a winter RV adventure? Gather a group of friends over the age of 21, work up a bacon hunger, and hit the road for Des Moines.