No Bacon Shortage at Rockford's 2nd Annual Baconfest

ROCKFORD - Over a dozen bacon-inspired dishes lined the inside of the Prairie Street Brewhouse, Thursday night for Rockford's 2^nd annual Baconfest. 

The event has become an intense competition between top Rockford chefs competing for best dish, best drink and best table setting.  The winner goes home with a bronze pig trophy, but the real winners are the guests, who get to indulge in the pork byproduct.

There were bacon cupcakes, pickled deviled eggs with bacon and even bacon infused alcohol.  The event was put on by the group called, The Element, which is helping to bring Rockford back to life.

"The Element is committed to bringing new programming and new events and building the calendar in Rockford," said Ed McCullough, the event's coordinator.  "Baconfest just struck our fancy and it turns out just to be a great event."

Baconfest 2012 had to deal with rumors of a bacon shortage.  A recent British report claimed bacon could be hard to come by soon due to this summer's drought.  The combination of high feed prices and smaller hogs was the basis for the claim.  However butchers are saying there shouldn't be a shortage, but maybe a hike in the price.

"Essentially the bacon should have been always a little higher.  There's more processing in bacon, it takes a lot more time, a lot more labor to produce the bacon," said butcher, Eric Hull.

A hike in the price of the precious commodity could mean higher prices for Baconfest next year, but that's okay when it goes to a good cause.

"All the proceeds go to help the Element run programs like this one and like First Friday, which we run every month in Downtown Rockford," said McCullough.

"We're going to be running a music series we hope shortly after the first of the year in the Sullivan Theater."

The group also helps to sponsor the Beloit International Film Festival.

Last year the group raised $3,500 at Baconfest and they hope to have done a little better this year.