Zingerman’s 8th annual Camp Bacon is a pork lover’s paradise
The annual fundraiser features chefs, food historians, producers, films, dinners and more
Zingerman’s 8th annual Camp Bacon® is guaranteed to be a pork lover’s paradise. The schedule for this year’s 5-day event is jam-packed with guest speakers, historians, a Cajun-style pork roast, independent films, music and even a little poetry. It’s bacon for the brain, belly and soul!
“Over the last eight years Camp Bacon has become one of my favorite events of the year here at Zingerman’s,” says Ari Weinzweig, Zingerman’s co-founder. “And with each year that we do it, my affection for it grows — the connection with the campers grows stronger, the presentations get more interesting, the food gets better, the bacon gets…well, everything’s already better with bacon!”
Ari was inspired to launch Camp Bacon while writing his book, “Zingerman’s Guide to Better Bacon.” In the years since the book’s publication, Camp Bacon has become more than just an all-you-can-eat bacon extravaganza (although, it is that, too!)—it’s now a nationally recognized, all-out porcine celebration, attracting renowned food experts, producers, and passionate pork enthusiasts from all over the country. Camp Bacon is a fundraiser for two of Zingerman’s favorite non-profit organizations, Southern Foodways Alliance and 4H Club of Washtenaw County.
“I’m really excited about this year’s lineup. Clark Rachal is driving 1,300 miles from Louisiana to cook Cochon de Lait for us, and award-winning journalist Simran Sethi is flying in from Rome. Plus, we have talks focused on cooking pork in Korea and Brazil, pork-centric consumer statistics, and crimes committed in the name of bacon,” says Weinzweig.
This year, Camp Bacon kicks off Wednesday, May 31 and runs through Sunday June 4. Here’s the full lineup:
Camp Bacon Food Film Festival
Wednesday, May 31, 6:00pm – 9:00pm
The fascinating stories behind beloved Southern women food makers are captured in this collection of short documentaries. Special guest filmmaker Ava Lowrey will be in attendance, and two of her films will be presented. Snacks will be served. Drinks, including bacon cocktails, available for purchase. $35/person. Location: Greyline, 100 N. Ashley St, Ann Arbor
Bakin’ with Bacon at BAKE!
Friday, June 2, 1:00pm – 5:00pm | Sunday, June 4, 8:00am – 12:00pm
You’ll use the power of bacon to flavor three amazing baked goods: peppered bacon farm bread, bacon cheddar scones, and sweet and salty bacon pecan sandy cookies.
$125/person. Location: BAKE! 3723 Plaza Dr., Ann Arbor
The 8th Annual Bacon Ball: Cochon de Lait, A Dance with Flame (Sold Out)
Thursday, June 1, 7:00pm – 9:30pm
The Roadhouse welcomes Clark Rachal from Avoyelles Parish in Louisiana Cajun country for a traditional pig roast that Ann Arbor has never experienced before. $75/person. Location: Zingerman’s Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor
Bacon Beautiful Music
Thursday, June 1, Doors 7:30pm, Music 8:00pm – Midnight
Musicians, poets and more will take to the stage to make music and entertain all of our campers! Ann Arbor Distilling Company is sponsoring the event. All performers have connections to the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses.
This event is free. Location: Club Above, 215 N Main St., Ann Arbor
Fresh Taste of Detroit (Sold Out)
Friday, June 2, 12:00pm – 9:30pm
Camp Bacon® hits the road with Zingerman’s Food Tours for a high-energy tasting jaunt through the markets, kitchens, and breweries of Detroit.
$295/person. Location: Zingerman’s Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor
Fresh Taste of Detroit Camp Bacon Dinner with Executive Chef Sarah Welch
Friday, June 2, 6:00pm – 8:00pm
The Fresh Taste of Detroit is sold out, but guests can still register for the dinner portion of the event. Chef Sarah has constructed an “ode to all things bacon” dinner with five different kinds of bacon (lamb, pork, goat, rabbit, salmon). The meal will progress through breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner, dessert so that people can see bacon in all its glorious forms both by meal type and bacon manipulation.”
The Main Event
Saturday, June 3, 8:00am – 4:00pm
Two meals, 13 speakers, and so much bacon. This all-day event is filled with meaty speakers, lots of learning, a whole lot of laughing and, of course, all the bacon you can eat! Lineup includes award-winning journalist Simran Sethi, author of “Bread, Wine, Chocolate: The Slow
Loss of Foods We Love.” A whole hog bacon raffle is included in the program, and guests will also enjoy Cochon de Lait, a whole hog roast tradition from Louisiana’s Cajun country.
$195/person. Location: Zingerman’s Cornman Farms, 8540 Island Lake Rd., Dexter
Camp Bacon Street Fair
Sunday, June 4, 11:00am – 2:00pm
Celebrate great pork with this a three-hour, family-friendly street fair with an array of vendors selling, sampling and showcasing all things bacon.
This event is free. Location: Sunday Artisan Market in Kerrytown, 315 Detroit St, Ann Arbor
No registration necessary.
About Zingerman’s
The Zingerman’s Community of Businesses is a family of ten independently operated businesses all located in the Ann Arbor, MI area. Paul Saginaw and Ari Weinzweig founded Zingerman’s Delicatessen in 1982. Following a successful decade that brought Zingerman’s national attention for their signature sandwiches and for their selection of olive oils, meats and cheeses from all over the world, Paul and Ari pondered various avenues for growing their business. Rejecting the franchising model, they opted to develop new enterprises with entrepreneurs that would follow the Zingerman’s guiding principles and commit to doing business in and around Ann Arbor. The new business would provide goods and services that would support and be supported by each other. In 1992, Paul and Ari partnered with Frank Carollo to open Zingerman’s Bakehouse. That was followed by other partnerships that brought forth ZingTrain (1994), Zingerman’s Mail Order (1996), Zingerman’s Creamery (2001), Zingerman’s Roadhouse (2003), Zingerman’s Coffee Co. (2004), Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory (2009), Zingerman’s Cornman Farms (2014), and Miss Kim (2016). Today, the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses has annual sales of almost $60 million and has received national coverage for both their food and their business philosophy from The New York Times, Saveur, USA Today, The Oprah Winfrey Show, News Hour with Jim Lehrer and many other outlets. In 2008, Paul and Ari were given the Lifetime Achievement Award from Bon Appetit. For more information about the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, please visit zingermanscommunity.com.
