CAROLINA BEACH — What’s better than bacon and beer? How about a bacon and beer event held at the beach? That’s exactly what the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce has planned for this year, the first ever Beach Bacon and Beer Festival.
The festival is planned for April 14, with gates opening at 11:30 a.m. The Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce is calling the event a family-friendly festival, much like its predecessor, the Chowder Cook-off. One of the purposes of the event is to re-brand the Chowder Cook-Off and “re-capture the success of this event.”
“Beach, Bacon and Beer Festival will invite selected local and regional restaurants to offer their selected dish that must include bacon. This is a friendly, culinary competition that pits the creativity of local chefs to present the most unique and tasty bacon-inspired offerings,” according to the chamber’s event page.
Prizes will be awarded for the following categories: judges choice, people’s best overall, most original, best savory and sweetest, the best decorated tent, and most enthusiastic tent.
An entry fee will be required in exchange for tasting tickets that guests can trade in at booths of their choice and additional tasting tickets can be purchased.
But bacon is not the only item available for guests, local breweries as well as two wine vineyards will be in attendance along with additional food vendors and a beer tent.
According to event organizers, some of the possibilities for food include:
- Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese with Pecan Bacon Brittle
- Bacon Fat Jelly Roll
- Smoked Potato Bacon Soup
- Bacon Focaccia Grilled Cheese
- Bacon Lobster Manicotti
- Bacon Butternut Squash Meatballs & Gravy
- Bourbon Bacon Caramel Corn
- Bacon Japanese Cheesecake
- Homemade Bacon Donut Hole
- Bacon and Prawn Dumplings with Spicy Coconut Puree
- Chocolate Bacon Toffee Gelato
- Bacon Stout Custard Banana French Toast
- Kung Pao Bacon
Carolina Beach Town Council still has to approve the event, and will consider the request on Feb. 13.
