4 things to know about Stoltzfus Meats' first Bacon Fest (2024)

Throughout 70 years of business, Stoltzfus Meats has honed its craft of smoking some of Lancaster County’s favorites, including bacon, bologna and ham. And this weekend, Stoltzfus has a new treat it’s been curing that is ready to be taken out of the smoker. After over a year of planning, Stoltzfus Meats will hold its first Bacon Fest on Saturday. While the event puts a crowd-favorite product center stage, Stoltzfus also sees it as a chance to reflect on the company’s history — and the community’s support — in honor of its 70th anniversary.

“This is about community, it’s not about us specifically,” says Dena Krebs, marketing coordinator for Stoltzfus Meats. “It’s just about all of our shared love of bacon.”

Interested in getting in on this bacon bonanza? Here are four things to know about Stoltzfus Meats’ upcoming Bacon Fest.

Sizzlin’ snacks

Prospective patrons of a bacon festival likely have just one thought on their minds: how can I get my hands on the bacon? Naturally, the festival will offer quite the selection of bacon goodies to sample and snack on.

Myron Stoltzfus, CEO and son of Stoltzfus Meats’ founder Amos Stoltzfus, will operate an on-site smoking station throughout the morning, samples from which will be available as the meat is prepared. Sampling stations will also offer bacon-on-a-stick and bacon-wrapped kielbasa bombs.

Additionally, the festival will host eight local food trucks, each with a specially crafted menu item that features Stoltzfus bacon, such as maple bacon ice cream and bacon-topped pizza. Those businesses include Scott’s Artisan Wood Fired Pizza, Albie’s Fresh Burgers and Crab Cakes, Cupcakes by Casey, Penny’s Ice Cream and Lynn and Gray Coffee Co.

Coupons for Stoltzfus bacon will be distributed to attendees and can be used at the Intercourse store location that same weekend.

Bacon for benefit

Providing visitors with tasty treats isn’t the only way Bacon Fest is giving back to their loyal community, Krebs says — it will also support local nonprofits.

Each participating food truck selected a local organization of their choice to sponsor. By the festival’s end, a percentage of each truck’s profits, as well as the monetary deposit they paid to reserve a spot at the event, will be donated to their designated nonprofit.

Selected nonprofits include the Clinic for Special Children, 4-H Swine Club, Lions Club, The Factory Ministries and Pequea Valley Education Foundation. Some of the organizations will be present at the event, including Intercourse Fire Company, which will host a kids’ demonstration of how to extinguish a fire, and Intercourse Library, which will hold a bacon story time.

Show off your skills

For those who are confident in their passion for bacon, Stoltzfus Meats has just the outlet for you — and it might just win you an Ultimate Bacon Bundle of Stoltzfus bacon goodies.

A baking competition, beginning in the morning, will challenge participants to concoct a baked good that highlights bacon as the prime ingredient. Creations will be judged based on taste, texture, creativity and presentation in the afternoon by a judging panel of Lancaster County media personnel, including Jere Gish of WGAL, Chris Ackerman of Discover Lancaster and Jenelle Janci of LNP | LancasterOnline.

A second competition, taking place in the afternoon, welcomes any Joey Chestnut-inspired hopefuls to the spotlight. An eating contest will challenge participants to eat as many Stoltzfus Bacon Sausage Grillers (smoked sausage made with bacon) as they can, within a set amount of time.

Pre-registration is recommended but not required for these competitions. To register, visit lanc.news/stoltzfussignup.

Activities for kids

At Bacon Fest, Stoltzfus has plenty planned to keep the kids entertained.

Kiddos will have free rein of numerous festivities, including a bounce house, yard games, face painting, a pass-the-pig game and a juggling show by Lancaster duo The DKers, all free of charge.

Families will also be entertained by two musical selections throughout the day: Nick Disanto, a one-man band, at 11:30 a.m. and Big Boy Brass at 4:30 p.m.

“We’re a family business; there’s a lot of family members that work for the company still,” Krebs says. “For us, it’s just really important that the community also have a chance to come to an alcohol-free event where there’s lots of kids activities, and there’s just a really fun atmosphere.”

Bacon Fest will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 10 at Intercourse Community Park in Gordonville. Free parking will be available as well as a free shuttle service.

For more information, visit lanc.news/BaconFest2024.