April Is Officially Bacon Month in Chicago
By Selena Fragassi in Food on Mar 29, 2015 7:00PM
“Everything is better with bacon,” especially when you have a whole month to enjoy it. In some of the best news we’ve seen in recent weeks, April has been declared “Bacon Month” in the City of Chicago, and with it comes a slew of events ensuring we can pig out over the next 30 days.
The holiday comes courtesy of, who else, Baconfest Chicago who has partnered with the ACME Hotel Company, the Greater Chicago Food Depository and local businesses to curate the pork-apalooza.
It begins with the Bacon Month Kickoff Party at Acme Hotel Company on Tuesday, March 31. Starting at 7 p.m., some of the city’s top mixologists like Benjamin Schiller & Luke Andrews from Berkshire Room, Lindsay Potter and Jessica Lambert from the Dawson and Brian Kipp from Benny’s Chophouse will serve guests signature bacon-inspired cocktails. For $30 admission, guests get one of each of the custom drinks and themed grub from Berkshire Room Executive Chef Chris “Chip” Davies and Executive Pastry Chef Chris Teixeira that will include BLT sliders, BBQ pork sliders, bacon popcorn and chocolate-covered bacon. You’ll also go home with a bacon goody bag.
Other highlights of the month include Kevin Bacon movie nights every Tuesday starting April 7th at ACME, tastings and pairings at Whole Foods, a bacon-themed painting class and of course the eternally popular Baconfest on April 17th and 18th at the UIC Forum. Many of Chicago's top chefs are also getting in on the Bacon Month action, too, by adding bacon-centric items to their monthly menus, including Bacon Bison Bites at Woodhaven Bar & Kitchen, Sweet Whiskey Bacon & Grits with a Jalapeno Bacon Martini at Viand Bar & Kitchen and a whole Bacon Thursday menu at Benny's Chophouse, among others.
Here’s a calendar of upcoming events for Bacon Month:
Bacon Month Kickoff Party, March 31st, ACME Hotel Company
Whole Foods Market Bacon Master Classes featuring Lagunitas beer pairings
April 4th - Honey Butter Fried Chicken chefs Christine Cikowski & Josh Kulp come to the South Loop Whole Foods Market (sign-up)
April 11th - Carnivale chef Rodolfo Cuadros visits Lincoln Park Whole Foods Market (sign-up)
Whole Foods Market Free Bacon Sampling Events, April 11 from noon to 3 p.m. at all 9 Chicago Whole Foods Market stores
Berkshire Room Bacon Tastings, April 8th and April 15th
Bacon Themed Arts n Spirits Painting Class featuring Revolution Brewery, April 16 at ACME Hotel Company
Kevin Bacon Movie Nights, every Tuesday in April starting April 7 at ACME Hotel Company
Get all the info here, along with tickets.