By ANDREA McCABE/Oregon Coast TODAY
What starts with B and ends in fest? Yep, you guessed it. The 7th annual Beach, Bacon and Brews Festival taking place at Chinook Winds Casino Resort on Saturday, July 8.
Fill your afternoon and belly with unique bacon recipes, diverse brews, $5 worth of slot play and live music.
Organized by the Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce, the event will see 12 charity teams compete to win the People’s Choice Award and Judges Award with their bacon focused culinary cuisine. All $1 bacon bite proceeds will go to participating charities.
More than 12 Pacific Northwest breweries and ciders will be available to sample including Ace Cider, Arch Rock and Three Creeks Brewing.
This event helps charities such as Taft High Booster Club, Cascade Relief Team and Salmon River Grange raise money and directly reach out to the public. In 2022, the event raised $8,000 for local nonprofits.
Live music from The Boondock Boys and Hellcats will play throughout the event, creating an upbeat atmosphere that pairs perfectly with cold beer and bacon goodness.
Chinook Winds public relations manager Heather Hatton is hopeful for another successful festival.
“We want people to enjoy themselves and to have a good afternoon with charities,” she said. “We want that connection with them. And to get a taste of the breweries that are in our county and of the Pacific Northwest.”
The event originated as an idea from the Newport Food Pantry and has grown into the engaging community event it is today. Each year, the Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce invites 12 charities along the coast to participate and guarantees $500 to each organization. Northwest Natural, TLC Federal Credit Union and Taylor & Taylor Realty provide $180 to each team for ingredients.
“Our biggest goal is to sell out at 500,” Hatton said. “It would be nice to raise over $10,000 for our charities. Not only do we do the bacon bits, but a portion of the money from the T-shirts and hats go to that. We want to make sure charities make enough money.”
The People’s Choice Award and Judges Choice Award create a sense of competitive excitement among teams. In 2019, the Taft High Boosters won both awards. This year, they have their eyes on the prize again.
Booster club president Beth Towers and vice president Kristina Good agree the festival attracts potential donors and volunteers to their organization and helps raise funds that go towards Taft High athletic and fine arts programs.
“You know you are supported,” Good said. “There are just so many people that get involved here. You make money for the nonprofit. You meet people so you get the word out that we are out here and always looking for volunteers.”
This year they are bringing the heat with their brown sugar jalapeño bacon crackers and spicy bacon guacamole – and believe the snack will wow both judges and guests.
New additions to the festival offer even more opportunities for public engagement. The vegan booth Grass Fed is partnering with Cascade Relief Team to make an appearance for a second year with a vegan bacon recipe.
Designated drivers can now buy $15 tickets to enjoy the festival at a discount.
“I love that we have a vegan booth and that we have designated drivers,” Hatton said. “The intermix that you can have fun no matter what.”
Hatton aims to have both locals and visitors leave the festival happy, full and satisfied about their contribution to the coastal community.
“Their tickets are helping out local organizations in our county and helping give back to our community,” she said. “And maybe they learn some new recipe that they never had before.”
- Beach, Bacon and Brews, a 21-and-over event, will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at Chinook Winds Casino Resort. Tickets are $25. For more information and to purchase tickets go to chinookwindscasino.com or call 1-888-244-6665.
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