Photo courtesy of Baconfest.com

“Last year we were a little bit unprepared for how much people really loved bacon,” manager of downtown Easton’s Farmers Market, Megan McBride said. The annual Bacon Fest downtown will be returning to Center Square for its second year on Nov. 9. This time it’s going to be all things bacon, all day long.

“[Last year] we ran out of bacon early on in the day which was a great problem to have,” McBride said. She and her team are more prepared this year for the thousands of bacon lovers swarming to town.

The idea for Bacon Fest originated from debates of countering the vegetarian festival held in Bethlehem, VegFest, which morphed into the various possibilities of a meat festival. Not surprisingly, the chosen food was an American favorite.

From the plain and simple “bacon on a stick” to bacon infused desserts and drinks, to bacon cinnamon buns and bacon cotton candy, it will be difficult to find a single dish without the savory taste at the festival. There’s even bacon popcorn on the menu.

“The event will be six times as big as it was last year, with a lot more vendors and events added,” McBride said.

“Included will be Pig Racing in which pigs as well as wiener dogs will be racing.”

Bacon Battle is the main attraction – a contest in which four Easton chefs compete for the title of “Baconator.” Chefs must create a three-course meal, each dish elevating bacon to the next level. Also on the itinerary is the Hog Heaven Cupcake Competition, a contest open to the general public that challenges home-based and professional chefs to bake the sweetest dish.

Bacon Fest will feature live music, and the option to participate in music competitions such as “Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Bacon” in honoring of the famous bacon lover himself, Elvis Presley.

The event will have over sixty market vendors and chefs incorporating bacon in creative and unique ways.

Those vegetarians out there might have to break their vows for this one.