August 21, 2023
What does it take to make Kingaroy BaconFest such a “pig” success? Try more than 300 volunteers, the efforts of a dozen or so community partners, support from generous sponsors such as Sunpork, and lots and lots of effort.
Chief Baconeer Anitta Stallwood said the crowd was “as good, if not a little bit better” than last year’s event, although figures from online ticket sales were not yet available.
There were more than 200 stalls, including vendors, food trucks, artisan markets and community groups.
“We pulled off one helluva festival, quite frankly,” Anitta said.
Community groups including Kingaroy Lions, Kingaroy Rotary, Kingaroy Kitchen, Kingaroy Girl Guides, Kingaroy Scouts, the local netball and basketball associations, and Taabinga State School all pitched in to help in some way.
BaconFest 2023 was launched on Friday night with the now-traditional Wine & Swine cocktail event in the Kingaroy Town Hall Forecourt.
Then followed two days of bacon-inspired fun, cooking demonstrations and food!
Kingaroy’s biggest annual event was still being wrapped up on Monday when southburnett.com.au spoke to Anitta.
Volunteers were hard at work putting everything away but Anitta admitted planning had already started for next year’s event.
“We got our first email this morning from (a celebrity chef) who couldn’t be here this year but has asked if he can come back next year,” Anitta said.
She was full of praise for her team and the support they had received from the community.
“You can’t run an event like this without volunteers,” Anitta said.
“I believe we are the best community-led festival in Queensland, if not in Australia.
“Even (guest chef) Alastair (McLeod) said it was the best community-led festival that he had ever seen.”
This is the fourth year BaconFest has been run.
The inaugural event was held in 2018, but the pandemic halted efforts in 2020 and 2021.
This year’s festival featured South Burnett talent on the Main Stage in the Town Hall Forecourt, with local musicians and dancers entertaining the crowd.
Inside the Town Hall, the celebrity guests were in action on the TAFE Qld stage. Chefs Miguel Maestre, Alastair McLeod and MKR stars Dan and Steph packed out the hall with fans.
Pork producers and processors weren’t forgotten, either.
Wooroolin resident – and former Test cricketer – Carl Rackemann interviewed rural industry identities in between cook-offs and bacon-eating competitions in the hall.
Outside, there was also activities on the Little Piggies Stage, with performances by youngsters from local schools and dance academies.
Beside the Town Hall, the Sunpork Stage hosted the Pinup Pageant competition, more music and barbecue demonstrations.
Nine entrants took part in pageant.
The winner was “Bambi Blaize”, from Brisbane, with runner-up “Little Miss Jeanie”, and Bacongeniality “Emerald Poison”.
The SunPork Smoke Off competition was also very competitive with entrants’ gazebos packing out the Council carpark.
Grand Champion was the “Signature SMOKE” team from Brisbane.
(All barbecue results are available here)
Anitta said profits from this year’s event would be placed in a special sub-fund set up by the Red Earth Community Foundation for distribution.
Over the past three festivals more than $30,000 has been distributed back to the local community from BaconFest.
Related articles:
- Big Crowd For BaconFest (2022)
- Pork Passion Pulls A Crowd (2019)
- Kingaroy Enjoys A Pig Time (2018)
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Other Activities
Not all the BaconFest activities were within the walls of the festival precinct … there were also activities happening in other parts of Kingaroy.
In O’Neill Square, the South Burnett Youth Council hosted the second annual PigJam “Battle of the Bands”.
Co-ordinator Margie Hams said six bands entered the competition, with the audience voting for their favourites by dropping tokens into containers.
Two Kingaroy bands came out on top: Bucket Boys were voted the winners, with Paradox as runners-up.
Bonita Shea won the inaugural “Pigs Can Fly” art competition which was also organised by the South Burnett Youth Council.
After PigJam, Felicity Aitken, from Bloom Into You at Murgon, ran flower crown workshops with participants weaving beautiful, floral creations.
About 50 crowns were created using flowers and eucalyptus leaves.
And over at the Kingaroy Youth Park, the CTC Youth Crew hosted a skateboard workshop.
Chiggy’s Skateboarding, from the Sunshine Coast, ran demonstrations and lessons for young skaters.
On Saturday morning, the Rasher’s Rush cycling and running event was held on the South Burnett Rail Trail, providing an opportunity for visitors to explore more of the local region with a 4km or 10km run, or a 20km or 30km ride.
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Wine & Swine
The BaconFest weekend kicked off with the upmarket Wine & Swine function on Friday evening.
More than 500 guests packed the Kingaroy Town Hall Forecourt.
They enjoyed cocktails served up by volunteers from Taabinga State School, platters of bacon and pork-inspired treats prepared by JC Catering and Kingaroy TAFE students, and wine from South Burnett cellar doors.
Popular local band RYZA provided the musical entertainment.
Special guests were Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe, Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, celebrity chef Miguel Maestre and, of course, BaconMan.
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Saturday Gallery
