Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!

Who doesn’t like BACON?

The aroma, the taste, the crunch, especially when followed by an ice cold craft beer. Well, the third annual Aiken’s Bacon and Brews Festival!

The Aiken Kiwanis Club organizes this event, scheduled on Newberry Street in downtown Aiken for all you bacon and beer lovers, your palates will be satiated on March 14 during from 5 – 10 pm. It is the major fundraiser for Kiwanis children’s programs in our area.

This year, seven food vendors will have mouthwatering offerings such as:

  • Bacon Crumbled Roasted Corn, Bacon Mac and Cheese Dogs
  • Bacon Shrimp Po’Boys, Bacon Deviled Eggs, Bacon Pretzels and Nachos
  • Maple Bacon Sundaes, Bacon and Steak Wraps, Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders
  • Bacon Dog on a Stick, Pork Belly Burgers with Smoked Mozzarella and Bacon, Bacon and Brie with Maple Pecan Jam on Belgium Waffles
  • And much more!

As you let these bacon entrees sink into your consciousness, consider the potential beer offerings: Jekyll’s Pineapple Habanero, New Belgium’s1554 and Fat Tire, Wicked Weed’s Lunatic Belgian Blonde and Pernicious IPA, Hi Wire’s Hi-Pitch IPA, Savannah River’s No Jacket Required, or Red Hare’s 50/50 Tangerine, to name just a few. (Beer choices are based on availability at the time of the event.)

For all of you who prefer wine over beer, choices of red, white, and rosé wines are available. This year we are adding coffee with Irish cream and hot chocolate for your enjoyment. There truly is something for everyone.

Did someone say entertainment?

Nothing but the best for our Aiken community and the crowd of 3000+ who enjoy this evening!

The event will start with music provided by Caleb Aiken, a local singer and songwriter who has performed in the Alley.

Back by popular demand, Tokyo Joe, based out of Columbia, South Carolina, has been a crowd favorite. Tokyo Joe was formed in 1996, has released 6 CDs, and performs an average of 200 shows per year in the Southeast.

This year the event time is extended from 5 to 10 pm to give parents and guardians an opportunity to bring children to enjoy face painting, corn hole, bubbles, and more.

There will once again be “Irish Zumba” during one of the band breaks. Last year many attendees joined in the for the Zumba workout and had a great time. So don’t miss this opportunity to join the fun.

This event is the major fund raising effort for Kiwanis of Aiken. The funds raised help us support our school programs such as K-Kids in the elementary schools, Builders Club in middle schools, Key Clubs in both high schools, and Circle K at USC Aiken. These programs train leaders for tomorrow by building self-confidence and speaking skills and by developing a sense of pride and comradery.

The relationships developed through the family of Kiwanis programs are usually long lasting, and they propel many of these youngsters into careers in both business and the political world. One of the newest programs is at Leavelle McCampbell Middle School. We recently started a Readers Program to help develop reading skills for youngsters struggling with reading development. This included purchasing books for the program and having members volunteer as mentors. Kiwanis also participates with the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club in Aiken and the local food bank.

Service is our biggest contribution to the local community, and your support of our event is paramount to the continuation of all of our programs and endeavors. This is the third year for Aikens Bacon and Brews, which started simply as a discussion by several Aiken Kiwanis members at a district convention. The words “bacon” and “Aiken” just seemed to have a natural fit, and the combination sparked the energy to start this amazing event that has been enjoyed by all.

Kiwanis is an international service organization of volunteers whose motto is “Serving the Children of the World.” As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Kiwanis, we in the Aiken Kiwanis Chapter remain dedicated to “improving the lives of children, one child, one community at a time” and training tomorrow’s leaders today. Our event could not be successful without your support and that of our generous sponsors: Coward McNeill, Bridgestone, Bechtel Industries, Dumpster Depot, State Farm Insurance, USC Aiken, Aiken Standard, Southside Galleries, Embroider This, Meybohm Realtors, Atlantic Broadband, and the City of Aiken.

We hope you will have a chance to join us on March 14 at the Newberry Street festival area starting at 5 pm. For more information, please visit our Facebook page at Facebook.com/AikensBaconAndBrews.


Aiken’s Bacon and Brews Festival

March 14  5 – 10 pm

Picture of Harvey R. Krape, President Elect Mary Driscoll, Immediate Past President

Harvey R. Krape, President Elect Mary Driscoll, Immediate Past President

Picture of Harvey R. Krape, President Elect Mary Driscoll, Immediate Past President

Harvey R. Krape, President Elect Mary Driscoll, Immediate Past President

In the know

Related Stories

Alfresco is the Way to Go | Palmetto Bella

Alfresco is the Way to Go

It is always a temptation to get out of the kitchen on a sunny day. The first time I recall dining outdoors at a restaurant was at a location by the Río de la Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My family had moved there in 1973 so that my dad could manage a project for General Motors. We were wined and dined (yes, even I, at the tender age of sixteen, was served wine) at wonderful places throughout the historic city. The padillas are grills located mainly in the Palermo neighborhood, near the sports arenas. The smoky aroma of barbecued meats wafted along the sidewalks. When we walked into what I remember being called a casita, or little house, there was an open fire

Read More »
Red Clay Strays

Aiken Music Fest Interviews The Red Clay Strays

A conversation between local Aikenite, Rob Heilig, and The Red Clay Strays ahead of their Aiken Music Fest show on July 3: Slightly ahead of the 2:00pm scheduled time, my phone rang with a (251) area code that said “Alabama.” Just before answering, I thought of the CB chatter that opens the song ‘Roll On’ by the group Alabama. On the other end of the line was Andy Bishop from Mobile, Alabama, bassist for The Red Clay Strays, who will be our featured act on July 3rd at Aiken Music Fest. After some formalities, I cut to the chase on my most pressing question I’ve been wanting to ask them!

Read More »
Two Strong Legs | Lux Libations | Palmetto Bella

Two Strong Legs | Lux Libations

I’ve lived in Augusta for almost six years now. I’m hardly nomadic, but I’ve lived in quite a few places in the eastern United States: Pennsylvania, Virginia, Atlanta, Maryland. I’ve always thought that I could live anywhere. Big city, small town, whatever — as long as I have a friend or two and my amazing wife, I can make it work. Then I moved to Augusta. Maybe it is the friends we made, or the community, or the southern hospitality, but I fell in love with this town. When Chris and David over at Drop Disgusta reached out to me about being on their podcast, I jumped at the opportunity.

Read More »
The Mushroom Medley | An Interview + Recipe with Chris Najmola | Palmetto Bella

The Mushroom Medley | An Interview + Recipe with Chris Najmola

From the Kitchen of… Fuse Aiken: The Mushroom Medley – An Interview + Recipe with Chris Najmola You will need: 8 oz. assorted mushrooms — we recommend using Circular Farms to keep it local 2 oz. heavy whipping cream 2 oz. high quality soy sauce 1 oz. vegetable oil a bottle of your favorite red wine a sauté pan some crusty bread to sop up the sauce, or a steak to top — honestly, everyone tells us you could put it over anything This is how we do it (like the song): Start off by getting your sauté pan nice and hot. I think it’s important that nothing hits a

Read More »