The Greater Easton Development Partnership will host the sixth annual PA Bacon Fest downtown in Centre Square this weekend. Originally an Easton Farmer’s Market event, the festival has grown in magnitude since its inception.

“I think a lot of people have this on their list…they have to get to the Bacon Fest in Easton,” said Kelly Huth, Assistant Communications Coordinator for the Greater Easton Development Partnership. With a crowd of over 85,000 people last year, the Greater Easton Development Partnership is “planning for a larger crowd” at the two-day event this year, Huth said.

Events at this year’s Bacon Fest will range from activities like the Kegs, Eggs and Bacon breakfast for 21 and over visitors to Hog Calling contests on both Saturday and Sunday, according to Huth.

Other activities include a Bacon Costume contest on Saturday and a Racin’ Bacon 5K race on Sunday. Lehigh Valley Live will also sponsor a Bacon Eating Contest from 12:30p.m to 1p.m on Sunday.

According to Huth, the PA Bacon Fest was rated one of the top 300 festivals in the world by FEST300. With over 150 vendors coming and 15 live shows and musicians performing, Bacon Fest will bring people from all corners of the region.

Huth recommends that festival-goers check out the menu before arriving in order to plan out how they’re going to feast. The festival will boast creative foods like bacon tacos, caramel apples rolled in bacon, bacon chocolate funnel cake fries, bacon avocado toast and bacon brownies, Huth said.

One obstacle the Greater Easton Development Partnership faced in previous years that will be addressed for this year’s festival is parking needs.

“With 85,000 people coming into the city, you kind of have to plan ahead of time for where they’re going to park. We don’t want people to spend their time at the festival searching around for parking,” Huth said.

According to Huth, there will be parking locations in both Forks township and at the Northampton County Courthouse, where shuttles will take people to and from Centre Square. Both parking garages downtown will also be open to festival-goers.

Attendees are suggested to give a $2 donation for the family friendly festival and proceeds of the festival will go the Greater Easton Development Partnership and its programs.

“I think it’s just a really fun event and for anybody that hasn’t been before, it’s really something to check out while you’re in Easton whether you’re here for the food or the music or the activities, you’ll definitely find something,” Huth said.