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# Bacon and Beer Classic – San Jose's Unique Culinary Festival
The Bacon and Beer Classic in San Jose, CA, is a vibrant festival that celebrates two beloved American staples: bacon and beer. Held at Levi's Stadium, this event offers attendees a unique opportunity to indulge in a variety of bacon-infused dishes and craft brews. With a history rooted in community engagement and culinary creativity, the festival has garnered rave reviews for its lively atmosphere and diverse offerings. Attendees can enjoy unlimited tastings, live music, and a chance to connect with fellow food and beer enthusiasts, making it a must-visit event for locals and visitors alike.

## History
### The story of Bacon and Beer Classic
The Bacon and Beer Classic was founded with the vision of creating a fun and engaging culinary experience that brings together food lovers and craft beer enthusiasts. The event aims to showcase the versatility of bacon and the creativity of local chefs and breweries, fostering a sense of community through shared culinary experiences.

### Milestones and growth
- **Inception**: The first Bacon and Beer Classic was held in 2015, quickly gaining popularity among foodies.
- **Venue Change**: Originally hosted at Municipal Stadium, the event moved to Levi's Stadium to accommodate a larger audience and more vendors.
- **Expansion**: Over the years, the festival has expanded its offerings, including more food vendors and craft breweries, enhancing the overall experience.

### Cultural and local influence
The Bacon and Beer Classic has become a staple in San Jose's culinary scene, influencing local food culture by encouraging chefs to experiment with bacon in innovative ways. The festival highlights the importance of community involvement, with many local businesses participating and benefiting from the exposure.

### Continuing the tradition
As the festival continues to grow, it remains committed to its core mission of celebrating bacon and beer. Each year, organizers strive to improve the event by incorporating feedback from attendees, ensuring that it remains a beloved tradition in the San Jose area.

## Community
### Community involvement
The Bacon and Beer Classic actively engages the local community by partnering with various non-profit organizations, such as One Brick, which provides volunteers for the event. This collaboration not only supports the festival's operations but also fosters a sense of community spirit among participants.

### Community notion about the place
The festival is viewed as a fun and exciting event that brings people together, allowing them to enjoy delicious food and drinks while socializing with friends and family. Many attendees express appreciation for the opportunity to try unique dishes and discover new craft beers.

### Events and gatherings
In addition to the main festival, the Bacon and Beer Classic hosts various events throughout the year, including pre-festival tastings and community gatherings. These events help to maintain excitement and engagement within the community, ensuring that the festival remains a highlight on the local calendar.

## Offerings
### What Bacon and Beer Classic offers
The Bacon and Beer Classic provides a unique culinary experience, featuring a wide array of bacon-inspired dishes and craft beers from local breweries. Attendees can enjoy unlimited tastings, live music, and interactive experiences, making it a memorable event for all.

### Dining and food experience
The festival showcases an impressive selection of food vendors, each offering their own creative takes on bacon dishes. From bacon-wrapped scallops to bacon-infused desserts, the variety ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Many vendors also highlight their use of locally sourced ingredients, adding to the festival's appeal.

### Events and packages
The Bacon and Beer Classic offers different ticket packages, including general admission and VIP options. General admission provides access to unlimited tastings for a set duration, while VIP tickets offer early entry and exclusive access to special brews and dishes. This tiered approach allows attendees to choose the experience that best suits their preferences.

### Facilities and features
- **Unlimited tastings**: Attendees can sample a wide variety of beers and bacon dishes.
- **Live music**: The festival features live performances, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
- **Interactive experiences**: Attendees can participate in games and contests, adding an element of fun.
- **Souvenir cups**: Guests receive a ceramic cup to commemorate their experience.

## Pros and Cons
### Key insights from reviews
Reviews of the Bacon and Beer Classic highlight a mix of positive and negative experiences. Many attendees praise the variety of food and drink options, while others express concerns about long lines and vendor availability.

### Compliments and strengths
- **Variety of offerings**: Attendees appreciate the extensive selection of bacon dishes and craft beers.
- **Community spirit**: The festival fosters a sense of camaraderie among attendees, enhancing the overall experience.
- **Engaging atmosphere**: Live music and interactive activities contribute to a lively environment.

### Contrasts and notable mentions
Some attendees have noted that the balance of bacon to beer could be improved, with a desire for more creative bacon dishes. Additionally, concerns about vendor readiness and long lines have been mentioned, indicating areas for improvement.

### Summary evaluation
Overall, the Bacon and Beer Classic is a well-received event that successfully combines food, drink, and community engagement. While there are areas for improvement, the festival remains a popular choice for those looking to indulge in bacon and beer.

## Location & Nearby Attractions
The Bacon and Beer Classic takes place at Levi's Stadium, located at 588 E Alma Ave, Municipal Stadium, San Jose, CA 95112. This iconic venue is not only home to the San Francisco 49ers but also hosts various events and concerts throughout the year. The surrounding area offers additional attractions, including shopping and dining options, making it a convenient destination for visitors.

## FAQs
**What is the Bacon and Beer Classic** The Bacon and Beer Classic is a culinary festival celebrating bacon and craft beer.
**Where is it held** The festival is held at Levi's Stadium in San Jose, CA.
**How much are tickets** Ticket prices vary, with general admission and VIP options available.
**Are there vegetarian options** While the focus is on bacon, some vendors may offer vegetarian alternatives.
**Can I bring my own food or drinks** Outside food and drinks are typically not allowed at the festival.

## Visit Bacon and Beer Classic Today
Join the fun at the Bacon and Beer Classic in San Jose, where you can indulge in a variety of bacon-infused dishes and craft beers. With a rich history of community involvement and culinary creativity, this festival promises a memorable experience for all attendees. Enjoy the lively atmosphere, connect with fellow food lovers, and savor the unique offerings that make this event a must-visit. Don't miss out on the chance to be part of this exciting culinary celebration!

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So how does one make a great event even better? The way I see it the team at Cannonball Productions, based in New York City, did just that this past weekend by moving the venue of their biannual Bacon and Beer Classic from the minor league venue at San Jose's Municipal Stadium to a big time venue at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. I've volunteered at and attended all three South Bay Bacon and Beer Classics held to date, and this one was by far the most spectacular. Although I had a good time at the March 2015 event, and I had a blast at the November 2015 event both at Municipal this past Saturday's event at Levi's was simply amazing. Gone was the elbow-to-elbow madness that comes from cramming too many individuals into one small space. In addition the larger venue meant there were more vendors offering more beer and more bacon to the masses. The Bacon and Beer Classic offered an afternoon session and an evening session two hours after the first session ended. General admission ran paying customers around $80 for unlimited beer and bacon samples for 3 hours. VIP admission for $125 per person gave paying guests 4 hours to do the same in addition to enjoying a lineup of special brews available to VIP's only on the Levi's Stadium grass. In my opinion the way to go about it is to volunteer. Volunteers are essential to the success of this event staffing stations at registration, merchandising and vendor assistance. In fact the official charity for the past three South Bay Bacon and Beer Classics has been One Brick, a San Francisco-based volunteer-run non-profit that provides volunteers for other non-profits. Friends who know me well know I volunteer through One Brick a lot. For a mere 4 to 5 hour volunteer shift you are rewarded with a very cool Bacon and Beer Classic t-shirt, a ceramic tasting cup and VIP admission to the shift you are not volunteering for. I tend to choose to do shifts prior to event day or for the first session since volunteers that choose to work the evening session and attend the first session aren't allowed to sample the beer. Instead they are given a case of beer to take home after their shift. Some people are fine with that but for me it's not the same. I like to sample as many brews as possible up to my personal limit. For this weekend's event they utilized the exclusive United Club and sections along the main concourse. On most event days at Levi's Stadium access to the United Club is usually restricted to Club ticket holders only so this definitely stirred the wow factor. On the bacon side of things I loved the melt-in-my-mouth Apple Glazed Bacon Belly from Bourbon Steak & Pub as well as several dishes from Levi's concessionaire Centerplate offering a Seared Diver Scallop with Bourbon Bacon Lardons and a tart Cherry and Cocoa Pork Belly skewer. They even offered a mocha cake featuring bacon. Food truck Kokio Republic knocked one out of the stadium with there Bacon Wrapped Oreos, and in their baconless Soy Garlic Fried Chicken. On the beer side of things I was surprised there were not too many stouts or porters to choose from so I went the cider route and the offerings were immense. I particularly liked the Hard Black Cherry Cider from Sunnyvale's Red Branch Cider Co. Bacon and Beer Classic, you've got a volunteer for life and I'm already looking forward to the next one. I've included photos because what would be a 5 star event without photos? Enjoy!

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Bacon and beer?!?! Oh heck yeah! I signed up for Yelp's VIP ticket giveaway and I was the chosen one!!! Woo hoo! Four hours of food, beer, music, and games. Thank you, Yelp!!! I'm really not a big fan of beer; I prefer wine or mixed drinks, but it was fun trying hundreds of craft brew samples! OK, maybe not hundreds... In fact, I found a few things I enjoyed, like the Vanilla Cream Ale from the Mother Earth Brew Co., the Pear Cider from Sierra Nevada, and Crisp Apple Cider from T.W. Pitchers. My favorite one was the Grapefruit Shandy with a hint of blood orange from T.W. Pitchers, I needed a few refills. It was also cool that Uber had a breathalyzer, good to know it was OK for me to drive after the event! Their breathalyzer test only went up to 0.16% BAC, so my plus one guessed correctly and won some nice sunglasses. Don't worry, he did not drive. Just like the other reviewers said, there was a ton of food! My favorites were: Lechon Asado from Habana Cuba; Pork Belly on Crostini from East Coast Alice; Bacon-wrapped Scallops from The Village; and Hushpuppies from 7 Bar and Grill. The bacon cheesecake from Sweet Tooth Confections was really good, I should've taken more. My hubby and I were fans of the bacon croquette (it was a very good sweet potato tater tot, with a nice piece of bacon splashed on top) but it was hard to remember who it was from, I wish each vendor had a big sign with their name on it, advertise a little! This was a fun event, however it didn't live up to its name. It was like 75% beer vendors, 15% bacon foods, and 10% other tastes and stuff and things. There were only a few vendors who actually had interesting dishes with bacon, the rest lacked creativity. Many were giving out strips of bacon dipped in whiskey or sugar or candy. It was good, but after 5 strips....it wasn't fun! I wish I brought rice and scrambled eggs to eat with the bacon. Some vendors were passing out potato chips, yogurt, churros... I thought, where's the bacon?!?! How were they inspired by bacon??? This is a BACON and beer festival, right? They did put the bacon first in the name of the festival so I thought it would be something like 60% bacon foods, 40% beer. I can't really complain about a festival with so much good food and beer. This was a one-of-a-kind event! What a great way to spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon!!!

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Beer and Bacon with my boyfriend? Uh, yes please! This was my second time attending the Beer and Bacon festival this year - my first time was back in March 2015 if I recall correctly. Favorite beers: - Highwater Brewery Campfire Stout. - T.W. Pitchers SnakeBite Crisp Apple Cider. - T.W. Pitchers Grapefruit Shandy with a hint of blood orange. - Heretic Brewery Chocolate Hazelnut Porter. - Half Moon Bay Brewery Calf-eine Coffee Milk Stout - Scotch Ale... I forgot what brewery it was but omfg so delicious. Food: - Lechon Asado from Habana Cuba - Pork Belly on Crostini from East Coast Alice - Bacon-wrapped Scallops from The Village - Kalua Pork and Bacon Croquette from Grub Shack - Bacon cheesecake from Sweet Tooth Confections was really good - Sweet Dragon was also there with their Brittle products. I wished they had the Stout caramels that I've tasted from the Elite event. Oh, if you drooled over Ben Zorn from the Bachelorette then you would've gotten your panties wet because he was one of the judges for the Beer and Bacon Festival. He was right in front of me for the Highwater Campfire Stout line. I didn't really care but I see a few women just looking at him, having a fangirl moment but didn't try to take a photo with him. He seemed like a nice person. Overall, it was a great event. I can't wait until they come back again!

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This was my first time going to this event. I was invited here by a couple of friends and glad I went. At first, I thought there wasn't gonna be much to see but was really surprised by how much different food you can make with bacon! The beer was also tasty as well. There was plenty of food to taste but my favorites for the day were definitely the candy bacon and the cheesecake with bacon. The candy bacon had a nice balance of sweet & salty but also had a crispness that made it addicting to eat. I would definitely order it if I had a chance. As for the cheesecake with bacon, the bacon bits add a salty & crunchiness that complement the creamy cheesecake. I thought it wouldn't work but it's something I would love to eat again in the future. As for the beers, my favorite was called "Not Your Father's Rootbeer". It tastes just like rootbeer but had a hint of alcoholic beer making it even better. I liked it so much, my friends and I went out to buy a six-pack of them after we left the event! Definitely one of he highlights of the day. I like this event and would love to go again. The food & drinks are great and you'll be surprised by how much you can do with bacon. Not only that, you get a souvenir cup with you to remember the memories of how much you ate that day!

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I just wanted to start off by saying I received 2 complimentary VIP tickets to the event thanks to Yelp! Overall, I thought the event was pretty fun. I'm not the biggest bacon lover in the world, but some of it was pork & not bacon so it was cool. The dishes that stood out to me were the pork belly crostini, bacon wrapped scallop & the candied bacon, so yummy! Plenty of food & with the VIP tickets, you get in an hour early before the general crowd. Definitely a plus since my sister & I finished before the regular crowd showed up (aka long lines). My favorite drinks were from Hard Frescos, the Snake Bite & Heretic. You can drink plenty of the frescos as it tasted so good, very dangerous! Photobooth was a fun addition. I loved getting my bacon tattoo & the pretzel necklaces as well :P I did take away 1 star as not all the vendors were ready during VIP hour & the parking was bumped up to $10 (looked like it was $5 last year). Overall, I enjoyed this event & I am stuffed with bacon/pork! Thanks to all the vendors & to Yelp for allowing me to attend this event :)

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This event was pretty fun! We bought the deal on living social- $50 instead of $59. PROS +SO MUCH BEER +SO MUCH FOOD.. my favorite was the pork belly with grits, or the bacon wrapped meatball +ALL YOU CAN DRINK +ALL YOU CAN EAT +Cute souvenir cup (at first we thought it was too small, but little did we know how many beers there were... and how that little cup adds up!) Don't really know how you can get better than that... there were some lines, but the most I had to wait was probably 10 minutes. And that was at that corn dog booth! It was good though. Everywhere else, there was hardly a line, or it moved rather quickly. CONS -Wish there was a map or a list of the vendors present. That would've been really helpful in remembering what you tried, because not all booths had cards or swag to hand out. -$5 parking, but that's expected right? If you didn't want to pay, there is limited street parking if you don't mind walking. -It would've been nice if there was a sitting area (not sure if there was, at any rate we didn't find any so maybe a centralized sitting area) because you have to stand most of the time

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A bunch of us decided to attend this event after some friends said the last one in March was fun. We went to the VIP night session and I do have to say the extra money was worth it. We arrived around 530 and there was plenty of parking, but FYI it cost $5 so make sure you have some cash handy. We jumped in line and then the guy came around, checked ID's and gave us handstamps. After that the doors opened and they scanned our tickets and we picked up our cups. The cups are red solo cup look a likes but they are ceramic. Super cute cups! As soon as you walk in there are beer booths and bacon booths. We got a few samples then headed out to the field to get away from the crowd. Loved the variety of the food! There was a good balance of sweet and savory. Loved that they were not stingy with the food and they didn't run out, except for the bacon cupcakes. They ran out 1st session, ugh. Only thing I would change is to have more of the beer vendors present. There were a lot of volunteers pouring beers and when people had questions they really couldn't answer. Looking forward to coming back next year, I really enjoyed this event.

25b49be6-7acd-49b2-8494-96d1766462db

Awful. Just awful. I've been to several of these. They've really gone terribly downhill. The last one I attended at Avaya stadium spring 2019 was the worst yet. The tiny shot glasses they gave us for our beer kept us constantly in lines. You couldn't actually get a full beer. The food was VERY limited and not very good at all. Again, it kept us mostly in line as we arrived with appetites and were expecting to be fed WELL. Finding anything of quantity to stay hydrated was near impossible. I could have gotten a better meal at a fast food joint. The promoters have gone too big for the way these are hosted. The smaller venues like the municipal stadium was awesome and had tons of delicious food. It seems they've lost most of their food vendors. The beer was good. Sadly, I won't be returning.

450a576b-9443-4c39-8a3e-7c5c4c7e352b

Chaotic, long lines, running out of food, awful crowd. An over-served bro reached out and grabbed food out of my hand, When I challenged on it, proceeded to take a swing and a miss at me, then shoved my girlfriend to the ground. Stay classy Santa Clara.

86f0dabe-f88f-4347-8805-789278ec14e8

I'm planning on going this weekend and taking my brother in-law for his birthday. I like how the people that won the VIP tickets through yelp mentioned they don't like beer or bacon lol then why would you sign up to win tickets that could of went to someone else that actually wanted to go and actually likes beer and bacon. Any ways I'm looking forward to it! I have been wanting to go for years, just never bit the bullet to pay $60 a ticket. See you guys there!

Experience the Bacon and Beer Classic at San Jose's Municipal Stadium. Savor delicious food and craft beers in a lively atmosphere. Book your spot today!

Bacon and Beer Classic in San Jose - Food & Craft Beer Event

San Jose

Bacon and Beer Classic

California

Explore the full menu at Bacon and Beer Classic in San Jose. Discover signature dishes, craft beers & must-try items. Visit us at 588 E Alma Ave.

Bacon and Beer Classic Menu – Food & Drinks in San Jose

Learn about Bacon and Beer Classic in San Jose. Experience our unique food and beer festival, located at 588 E Alma Ave. Join us for a fun-filled event!

About Bacon and Beer Classic, San Jose, CA

Opening hours for Bacon and Beer Classic, San Jose. Find opening hours for Bacon and Beer Classic, San Jose on 588 E Alma Ave.

Bacon and Beer Classic Menu Overview

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