It's not easy to understand Beer Bacon Bands.
It's absolutely easy to understand beer. And bacon. And bands. But put them all together with three capital Bs and zero commas, and it all becomes something different. It becomes a big party at CN Centre.
Since this is the first time Prince George has experienced this one event with those three Bs in a row, the event's co-founder, Chad Guy, checked in to explain.
It is a festival of pork products (pulled pork sandwiches, honey glazed ham, whatever the chefs of the city can conjure), sudsy hops beverages of any description, and some crack-a-lackin' live music. It began four years ago in Regina, spread to Saskatoon and Calgary and now Prince George is joining the fun.
There's a stage at the front of the big arena room, plenty of social space on the floor, and pockets of trade show booths around the perimeter where the sizzle and the guzzle comes from.
"We engage the local restaurants and pubs to step up and do their best bacon-themed food items," said Guy. "Some of the food vendors come along with us, but it's wide open for each city's restaurants and cafes to come in and be part of the show."
The same goes for the beer vending. "We get as many local breweries as we can," but some unique brews will be available from companies we don't normally get to meet face to face in Prince George. Representatives will be on hand to facilitate the beverages, with information and hospitality in every pour.
Beer Bacon Bands has the bones of a trade show or convention with 40-50 booths at each event, "but the difference is there's concert lighting, musical energy, and a rock 'n' roll atmosphere," Guy said. "We bring some of the entertainment along with us from city to city. Some of our favourites are The Johnny McCuaig Band and DJ Baby Daddy, we have theme-teamed with them, but in each town we will also bring in a local popular band to add that familiar element."
The event will branch out this year to also include Dawson Creek, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Edmonton. The founding event company, known only as XA, is where Guy works. He was once a representative for a major Canadian concert promotion company so he had a previous working knowledge of CN Centre and a working relationship with venue manager Glen Mikkelsen.
Guy said they are also working on a summertime version of Beer Bacon Bands they are entitling Tequila Tacos Tunes.
The gist of the event is doors opening at 7 p.m., the evening festival atmosphere prevails at all times, it's for ages 19-plus only, patrons buy books of tokens to take around to exchange at the booths for the baconesque products and beery bevvies, and fan voting is done for some vendor affirmation.
The Beer Bacon Bands event happens at CN Centre on Feb. 24 starting at 7 p.m. Tickets (approximately $40 each) are on sale now at the venue's box office or online at www.ticketsnorth.ca.
