From the inbox: Baconfest extends to celebrate bacon throughout April

In the Inbox this week, more news on the upcoming and ever popular bacon fest. Bacon has evolved from the focus of a two-day festival to a month-long celebration. So many ways to declare your love for this meat of the month! :)

Baconfest Chicago Declares April is "Bacon Month" City-wide Events Brings Together Businesses and Bacon-Crazed Foodies

March 28, 2016 (Chicago, IL) - Baconfest Chicago declares April is "Bacon Month" with a 30-day celebration of all things bacon. Baconfest Chicago has partnered with ACME Hotel Company, the Greater Chicago Food Depository and other local businesses for a month of event programming centered around the tasty pork product. For more information about Bacon Month! including special events, cooking classes at The Chop Shop, and bacon discounts at Jewel Osco, please visit BACON MONTH! 360-Degree Bacon Experience @ ACME Hotel Company - April 2016 It's all Bacon, all the time during the month of April at the ACME Hotel Company, the official hotel sponsor of Baconfest Chicago. The hotel will offer a bacon-themed treat upon arrival, ACME'S Pop-up Bacon Gift Shop featuring bacon goodies from lip balm to toothpaste, a bacon cocktail, and ACME's Insta-Gallery, exhibiting bacon-themed photos available for purchase from Instagram's most influential photographers. #ACMEISBACON If a day at Baconfest isn't enough, then the ACME Hotel's Embrace the Bacon package is the perfect answer. Die-hard bacon fans will enjoy: two general admission tickets for Baconfest Chicago, a one-night stay at the ACME Hotel, a bacon cocktail from The Berkshire Room, and a Bacon-y surprise turn-down. Rates start at ($269). BACON MONTH! EVENTS It All Starts with a Party - Tuesday April 5, 2016 Baconfest Chicago's Annual Kick-off Party features bacon, bocce, beats, and booze at The Chop Shop, located at 2033 W North Ave, Chicago. The event will be held on Tuesday, April 5 from 7 to 10 PM. Tickets are ($30) on are sale now at Baconfest Chicago Kick Off Party Tickets. Kevin Bacon Movie Night - Thursdays evenings beginning on April 7 -28, 2016 What Goes Better with Bacon Than Kevin Bacon? ACME Hotel Company located at 15 E Ohio St, Chicago  will host Kevin Bacon Movie Night every Thursday at 7 pm on the second level of the hotel. The hotel will provide complimentary bacon dusted popcorn from The Berkshire Room and wine, beer and cocktails will be available for purchase. Volunteer Day at The Greater Food Depository- Saturday April 9, 2016 Help Baconfest feed Chicago by volunteering at a repack session at the Food Bank's warehouse, located at 4100 W Ann Lurie PL, Chicago from 1 to 4 PM.  Registration Link and More Info here. It All Ends with BaconFest Chicago - Saturday April 30 & Sunday May 1, 2016 Baconfest Chicago will be held at the UIC Forum, located at 725 West Roosevelt, Chicago.  There will be over 150 restaurants participating including 45 first-time participants.  The fest includes three sessions: lunch and dinner on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday.  Each session will feature a brand new line up of 50- 60 restaurants/chefs. To find out which Baconfest vets, Food Network stars, Golden Rasher Award Winners (the Oscars of the bacon world), and new restaurants will be at Baconfest, visit 2016 Baconfest Chicago Restaurant Roster. 2016 Baconfest Sessions April 30 - Saturday Lunch Featured Cocktail:     Tiki Bar 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM     Cooking Channel VIP hour 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM     General Admission Period April 30 - Saturday Dinner Featured Cocktail:     Old Fashioned Bar from longtime partner Templeton Rye. 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM     Cooking Channel VIP Hour   7:00 PM -10:00 PM     General Admission Period May 1 - Sunday Brunch presented by Jewel-Osco ((NEW TO THE FEST)) Featured Cocktail:     Bloody Mary Bar 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM     Cooking Channel VIP hour 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM     General Admission Period 2016 Baconfest Chicago Ticket Information VIP Tickets ($200) offer access to the Cooking Channel VIP Hour and general admission period for the session selected. General admission tickets ($100). All ticket-holders receive unlimited dishes from the chefs, seven drink tickets (redeemable for beer, wine and cocktails from Baconfest's beverage partners), a Baconfest tote bag and a souvenir program guide. Tickets are on sale now at  www.BaconfestChicago.com/ticket.

About Baconfest: Baconfest Chicago holds its eighth tasting event on April 30 and May 1, 2016 at the UIC Forum (725 West Roosevelt). Ticketholders gain access to a bacon-wonderland, where the city's best chefs hand out amazing, creative bacon snacks. Luxury brands, artisan bacon-makers, and "bacontrepreneurs" display, sample, and sell a multitude of bacon products. The best mixologists and brewers hand out bacon-inspired cocktails, beer and wine. To celebrate special achievement in the bacon arts, Baconfest gives out Golden Rasher Awards (the Oscars of the bacon world).  Best of all, Baconfest is good for America. In addition to hosting a food drive and raffle at the event, Baconfest Chicago donates a portion of proceeds from ticket sales to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.  In 2015 alone, Baconfest donated $75,000 to the organization.  Since 2009, Baconfest has donated more than $300,000 to Chicago's food bank, which translates into nearly 1,000,000 meals for hungry people in the area.