Scene in Easton: Bacon Fest II

By Christina Georgiou

Kostas Karaminas, of Angelo's on North Fourth Street, cooks up some bacon
during Bacon Fest II, held Saturday on Easton 's Centre Square.
Click on any photo for a full size view

Kim Rothenbeck took first prize at the
the hog calling contest during Bacon Fest II
in Easton on Saturday.

Thousands of bacon lovers flocked to Easton and hammed up the porcine goodness Bacon Fest II had to offer Saturday on Centre Square--and there was quite a lot of it!

From bacon everything--including jams, chocolate-covered bacon, bacon ice cream, and a plethora of savory bacon culinary creations--to pig and weiner dog races, a hog-calling contest, and even "Art du Cochon", the day was packed with fun and food for all.

A sweet potato bacon cupcake with cranberry sauce filling and
goat cheese, mascarpone and cream cheese frosting by Ashley Barlow took first prize at the "Hog Heaven Cupcake Competition", while the honorable mention went to Jessica Delong for her cupcake featuring a bacon pecan crumble and brown sugar maple frosting.

Delong also took a prize at the competition for the presentation of her cupcake creation, and 13-year-old Gracie Barone, whose entry was a banana, peanut butter and bacon cupcake, got an honorable mention for her Elvis-themed presentation at the event.

Kim Rothenbeck, appropriately dressed in hot pink porcine accessories, won the hog calling contest for her energetic, amusing interpretation of attracting swine to come home, in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Others made pigs of themselves, as a number of festival-goers were seen sporting snouts, piggy hats, and other animal inspired accessories celebrating the day.

Easton Farmers' Market manager Megan McBride chats with
the proprietor of Bacon on Wheels. The vendor was sold
out by mid-afternoon.

When it was all done, little bacon was left. Though most vendors had brought enough supplies to make it through the day, some others were seen packing it in or enjoying the festival themselves after the crowd had gobbled the last of their popular offerings.

Said one, "I guess we'll just have to bring even more next year."

Easton Hospital appropriately provided free cholesterol
screenings at Bacon Fest II on Saturday.

There was even pig-inspired art at Bacon Fest II.

Artist Charles Vail works on a pig painting at Bacon Fest II
held in Easton's Centre Square on Saturday.

Easton's Centre Square was temporarily renamed "Bacon Street" on Saturday.

Weekend Guide, November 8 to 10

Everything is better with bacon, and this weekend in Easton is no exception!

Friday, November 8

Holiday Mart and Bake Sale: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gift items being sold in the gift shop; Baked goods and craft items can be purchased in the lobby  from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Benefits local nursing scholarships. Easton Hospital, Patient Information, 250 South 21st St., Wilson Borough. 610-250-4079

Artist Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Hillcrest Camera Club members exhibit "Community Resiliency: Recovery, Adaption, Sustainability", on display through Dec. 14. Nurture Nature Center, 518 Northampton St. 610-253-4432 or www.nurturenaturecenter.org

Downtown Easton Art Walk: 5 to 8 p.m. Includes exhibits at Nurture Nature Center, Sigal Museum, State Theater, Easton Hospital Gallery and Annex, Re:find Gallery, Just Around The Corner Gallery, Quadrant Book Mart Gallery, Gallery at St. John's, Connexions Gallery, Mercantile Home Gallery, Lafayette College galleries. ArtsQuest InVision Photography Festival event. Contact The Nurture Nature Center for more information, 610-253-4432.

The Large Flowerheads, DJ Menson: Band at 7:30 p.m., DJ at 11 p.m..  Rivals Sports Bar & Nightclub, 5 Lehns Court. 610-923-7625 or www.rivalseaston.com

Bear Night:  Begins at 8 p.m. Join us for a night of fellowship and fun! Complimentary buffet. Novus ACS will also be offering free STI testing for members of the LGBT community. Novus ACS offers affordable healthcare to members of the LGBT community, a fantastic resource for those without health insurance.  La Pazza, 1251 Ferry St. 610-515-0888 or www.lapazza.com

Artist Reception: 6 to 7:30 p.m. With photographer Frank Smith. Easton Hospital Gallery at the State Theatre, Fifth and Northampton streets.


The Penelopiad: 8 p.m. Adapted from Homer’s Odyssey, Margaret Atwood brings one of history’s most powerful myths to the contemporary stage. Destined to spend eternity in Hades, Penelope recounts her life’s story and the murder of her 12 handmaidens by her vengeful husband Odysseus. Atwood’s acerbic wit and boundless imagination give us a provocative new look at a woman’s longing, lust and culpability. The all-student performance is directed by Suzanne Westfall, director of the arts and professor of English and theater. Tickets are $6, and available by phone at 610-330-5009 between noon and 2 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m., as well as at the box office one hour before the show. Show runs on Saturday, Nov. 9 also. Lafayette College, Williams Center for the Arts, 730 High St.

Lelica, BD Lenz: 8 p.m. Valenca, 64-66 Centre Square. 610-923-5142

Kevin O'Connell: 8 p.m. The Riegelsville Inn, 12 Delaware Road, Riegelsville. 610-749-0100 or www.riegelsvilleinn.com

Tom Goehring: 9 p.m. Two Rivers Brewing Company, 542 Northampton St. 610-829-1131 or www.tworiversbrewing.com

Naked Jake: 9 p.m. Colonial Pizza & Spaghetti House, 136-138 Spring Garden St. 610-252-3033 or www.colonialpizzapub.com

DJ Mikey Z: 10 p.m. Riegelsville Tavern, 1274 Easton Road, Riegelsville. 610-510-3030 or www.riegelsvilletavern.com

Start Making Rent: 10 p.m. Porters' Pub, 700 Northampton St. 610-250-6561 or www.porterspubeaston.com

Modern Romantz: 10 p.m. Pearly Baker's Alehouse, 11 Centre Square. 610-253-9949 or www.pearlybakers.net

Schubert and Binder: 10 p.m. Dub's on Fifth, 402 South Fifth St., West Easton. 610-438-3827 or www.dubson5th.com

Saturday, November 9

Baconfest II: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This admission-free festival will feature more than 60 vendors with a focus on farm-to-table and locally-produced fare.  Festival events will include pig racing, culinary competitions, a snout-to-tail cooking demo and tasting, bacon cupcake competition, an Elvis impersonator contest, a hog calling contest, "Art du Cochon", a historical agriculture display and games, live music and kids’ activitied. Bacon bloody Mary’s and beer too. Hosted by the Easton Farmers' Market. Centre Square. Click here for more details or go to www.pabaconfest.com for the complete schedule

Free Admission for Veterans: Veterans get free admission to the Sigal Museum all weekend. Sigal Musuem, 342 Northampton St. 610-253-1222 or www.sigalmuseum.org

Holiday Bazaar: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Great gift items, crafts, hot food and baked goods for sale. There will also be free blood pressure screenings. Trinity Episcopal Church, 234 Spring Garden St. 610-253-0792

"Sachets to Scent the Home": 10:30 a.m. A workshop for adults with local aromatherapist Joan Good. Materials will be provided. Pre-registration is required. Easton Public Library South Side Branch, 401 West Berwick St., room 102. Call 610-258-3121 for more information or to pre-register.

Kim Brewer Band: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cool jazz and R&B. Stop by and groove to the tunes! Madame Mim's, 22 North Third St. 

Tricky Tray: Doors open at 4 p.m., drawing at 6 p.m. Over 100 large gift baskets are expected, along with 50/50. Super prizes and door prizes. Flat screen TV, iPad, Coach purse, gift certificates. Gyro and baklava sale, in addition to other refreshments. Handicap accessible. $10 for 1 sheet of raffle tickets. Bonus prizes 3 tickets for $10. Super prizes 4 for $20 or $5 each. Proceeds to benefit local charities. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, South 20th Street and Hay Terrace, Wilson Borough. 908-246-5148 for more info.

Ham Loaf Dinner: 4 to 6:30 p.m. Eat in or take out. $10 per person, $5 for children. New Creation United Church of Christ, 3730 Nicholas St., Palmer Township.

Free Texas Hold'em: 7 & 9 p.m. Registration is 15 minutes prior to each game. La Pazza, 1251 Ferry St. 610-515-0888 or www.lapazza.com

Notorious Groove, DJ Nicky K: Band at 7:30 p.m., DJ at 11 p.m..  Rivals Sports Bar & Nightclub, 5 Lehns Court. 610-923-7625 or www.rivalseaston.com

Walter Parks - Live at the Gold Room: 8 p.m., doors open at 7:30 p.m. Inspired by the swampy gospel blues that wails from storefront churches and roadhouses in and around the southeast Georgia low country, Parks' music is full of boot-stomping, guitar-strumming tunes that explore matters of the soul and spirit, built upon a foundation of jazz and folk. Total per ticket charge is $19.98. Following the concert there will be a reception and meet and greet at Mercantile Home. The Eastonian, Gold Room, 140 Northampton St. 610-258-4046 or click here for more information.

The Penelopiad: 8 p.m. See Friday's listing for details. Tickets are $6, and available by phone at 610-330-5009 between noon and 2 p.m. and 4 to 5 p.m., as well as at the box office one hour before the show. Lafayette College, Williams Center for the Arts, 730 High St.

Wilson Wrestling Fundraiser: 8 to 10 p.m. Dub's on Fifth, 402 South Fifth St., West Easton. 610-438-3827 or www.dubson5th.com

Brooke Shive and the 45s: 8 p.m. The Riegelsville Inn, 12 Delaware Road, Riegelsville. 610-749-0100 or www.riegelsvilleinn.com

The Ultra Kings: 8:30 p.m. Two Rivers Brewing Company, 542 Northampton St. 610-829-1131 or www.tworiversbrewing.com

Amos: 9 p.m. Riegelsville Tavern, 1274 Easton Road, Riegelsville. 610-510-3030 or www.riegelsvilletavern.com

Scott Harrington and Friends: 10 p.m. Porters' Pub, 700 Northampton St. 610-250-6561 or www.porterspubeaston.com

The What Nows: 10 p.m. Pearly Baker's Alehouse, 11 Centre Square. 610-253-9949 or www.pearlybakers.net

Sunday, November 10

Third Anniversary Celebration: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m The Roux plays at 3 p.m. Refreshments, special anniversary sales, and raffles for gift certificates. Salvage Goods, 24 South Third St. 610-258-8176 or www.SalvageHomeGoods.com

History Channel/Lou Reda Film Screening: Noon to 4 p.m. A film screening in honor of the U.S. Marine Corps. Admission is free and open to the public. Plus, veterans get free admission to the Sigal Museum all weekend. Sigal Musuem, 342 Northampton St. 610-253-1222 or www.sigalmuseum.org

Veterans Day Program: 1 p.m. Honor township veterans, special commemoration by Williams Township children. The public is most welcome. Williams Township Veterans Memorial, 655 Cider Press Road, Williams Township. www.williamstwp.org

Sitgreaves Coffee House and Open Mic: 7 to 9 p.m. Trinity Episcopal Church, 234 Spring Garden St. 610-253-0792


Open Mic Hosted by Jim Stocker: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Riegelsville Tavern, 1274 Easton Road, Riegelsville. 610-510-3030 or www.riegelsvilletavern.com

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Updated at 9:07 a.m.

Bacon Fest II: Porcine Art Submissions Sought, King of the Chops to Be Crowned

The Easton Farmers' Market is putting out the call for artists of two different sorts to come and take part in Bacon Fest II, set to take place on Saturday, November 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Centre Square.

Fine artists are invited to participate in "Art Du Cochon" (Art of the Pig) by entering original drawings, paintings, sculpture or mixed media pieces that portray pigs, swine or hogs. Paintings must be 16-by-20-inches or larger, and mixed media pieces or sculpture must be “bigger than a bread box.” Artists  are encouraged to utilize found objects or salvage when possible.

Entries will be placed on display at Bacon Fest II. Artists can choose to sell their piece with a 15 percent commission going to Easton Farmers’ Market. All art will remain supervised throughout the festival, and a volunteer will be on site to handles sales. 

Three prizes will be awarded: a first prize of $200, a second prize of $100, and a third prize consisting of one pound of bacon from Breakaway Farms and a $25 gift card to Two Rivers Brewing Company.

All entries must be received no later than Thursday November 7 and can be delivered to the Easton Farmers’ Market information tent on Saturdays or to the Easton Farmers’ Market office at 35 South Third St., Monday thru Friday during regular business hours.

Those with a flair for music are invited to channel their inner Elvis during the "Hunka, Hunka Burnin’ Bacon Competition" at Bacon Fest II, and vie for judges' favor to become "King of the Chops".

Contestants will be judged on voice, dance moves, and their ability to build the best bacon, peanut butter and banana sandwich, an Elvis favorite.

A panel of judges will choose the winner based on appearance, performance, and the taste and quality of the sandwich.

For more information on either Bacon Fest II event, visit the festival website at www.pabaconfest.com or call the Easton Farmers' Market office at 610-330-9942.

Baconfest II Expected to Draw Thousands

By Christina Georgiou

If you love bacon--and seriously, who doesn't?--Easton will be the place to be on Saturday, November 9.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Easton's Centre Square, visitors will enjoy all things porcine from snout to tail, at Baconfest II, with numerous culinary offerings, including tastings, free samples and demonstrations, live music, art, kids' activities and events, more than 60 vendors, and even an Elvis impersonator contest.

And, while last year, visitors were so enthusiastic about snatching up the bacon-y bits that the supply ran out, this year, there will be enough bacon to last all day, no matter what, promised Easton Farmers' Market manager and festival organizer Megan McBride during a press conference held Friday at Two Rivers Brewing Company.

"I think we're ready," she said, outlining a plethura of foodie events, covering everything from breakfast to dessert.

Two Rivers Brewing Company chef Jeremy Bialker, along with Breakaway Farms owner Nathan Thomas, will butcher and prepare an entire naturally grown, pasture-raised pig, "Cheek-to-Cheek", producing seven or more decadent dishes, to be paired with various Weyerbacher beers.

Two Rivers Brewing Company chef Jeremy Bialker whipped
up some bacon-y goodies for reporters at Friday's press
conference announcing Baconfest II, including skewers of
apple, brussel sprouts and bacon, seen above, as well as
bacon sandwiches with cheese, onions and spices, and
bacon-filled donuts. (Yum!)

Bialker will also be defending his title as "Baconator" from last year in the "Bacon Battle" against at least three other local restaurant chefs in a competition where each will prepare an appetizer, entree, and dessert out of...bacon, of course.

But not all the Baconfest II competitions will be limited to professionals.

Bakers, both amateur and professional, are invited to take part in the "Hog Heaven" bacon cupcake competition. Three prizes will be granted to the best in each of three categories: a People's Choice, a Judges' Choice, and a best table design.

Those with an artistic flair are also invited to take part in the "Art du Cochon" contest, which will feature paintings, mixed media, and sculpture. First, second, and third prizes will be awarded to those works judged to have the most flair, and artists may choose to offer their works for sale or not.

If Elvis is more your speed when it comes to art, consider throwing your hips in the ring for the "Hunka, Hunka Burnin' Bacon" competition. Contestants, competing or the "2013 King of the Chops" title, will perform the Elvis song of their choice, including lyrics, gyrating, and a "King-inspired" costume, and also prepare their own take of Elvis' famous peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwich.

For those who want to compete on a more impromptu level, kids and adults can take part in a hog calling contest, and winners will be awarded some "soooo-weet" prizes, festival organizers promise.

The younger set can also enjoy pig racing events, "Pancakes with the Piggy", a crafts tent, and a historic swine and agriculture display with games presented by farm historian Kyle Datesman.

Easton Farmers' Market mascot Sunny
horses around with Mayor Sal Panto
during Friday's press conference announcing
Baconfest II.

While some events have a nominal fee, admission to Baconfest II is free, as are many of the day's activities.

And, with so much bacon going around, the day is sure to be a big hit again this year. Baconfest II organizers estimate as many as 10,000 to 15,000 people are expected to attend.

"Last year's Baconfest was a big success. This year's, I think will rival any other event in the city," said Mayor Sal Panto, who added he's looking forward to the day.

For the full schedule of events, as well as more information and downloadable applications for Baconfest II contests, visit www.pabaconfest.com

For more about the Easton Farmers' Market, the oldest continuous open air market in the United States, visit www.eastonfarmersmarket.com