KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The third annual Lake County Beer Wine and Swine event was held on Father’s Day in downtown Kelseyville and once again the Kelseyville Business Association, and the amazing community that supports them, rocked the neighborhood.

Outstanding blues and rock and roll from Dave Broida’s Blues Farm Band was enjoyed throughout the day, only resting from time to time to allow local Kelseyville magician, Chace Martin, to share the stage with his magic act. Young and old alike enjoyed his engaging and entertaining performance!

Beautiful art and crafts, locally farmed goods and noncompeting food vendors provided plenty to do when you were not busy enjoying the wonderful line up of breweries and wineries who shared their finest.

All of this and bacon, too: Fifteen local restaurateurs, caterers and culinary colleges brought their best to Baconfest 2019 but only one chef gets to take home the title of bacon master.

This year Frank Stepheson of Boar’s Breath Restaurant, recently reopened in Clearlake, was the creative genius behind the piggy back pork sliders on LaJolla brioche slider buns that won the judges’ hearts.

Best savory appetizer award went to Chef Tommy Garrett of the Manzanita Restaurant at Twin Pine Casino and best bacon dessert went to chefs John Arslanian and Scott Price of Fresh and Bangin’ Eatery and C&E Corner Creamery in Lakeport.

And as a team in the standing every year, it comes as no surprise that the people’s choice award went to chefs Robert Cabreros, Ian Anderson and Ann-Marie Pleskazewski of Aroma’s Café, located at Woodland Community College’s Lake County Campus in Clearlake.

It was no easy task for the team of judges, Russ Hamel of Konocti Harbor Resort, Bernie Butcher of the Tallman Hotel, Monica Rosenthal of R Vineyards, Molly of Shannon Ridge Winery and Julie Stuart of Oak Lea Ranch Experience.

At the end of the very busy, often long and hot, incredibly rewarding day, it is the village of individuals from all around the county that come together to make Baconfest happen.

In all, approximately 75 volunteers put on their piggy pink tee shirts and rose ever so cheerfully to the occasion, taking tickets at the entrances, at the drink booths, at the Traeger raffle booth and at the front of the line at every chef’s booth, helping to move people and their bacon along as smoothly and enjoyably as possible.

It was the service groups, clubs and local entities like Lakeport Women’s Civic Club, Lake County Theatre Group, Kelseyville Event Center, Leavitt Insurance Agency, Clear Lake Campground, Umpqua Bank, Sutter Hospital, Lake Family Resource Center, Good Old Boy’s Motorcycle Club (who wore their pink ever so proudly and made so many vendors happy when they happened along to help take down tents and clean up our town at the end of the day) and the dozens of community minded volunteers who made this year’s Lake County Beer Wine and Swine Event an overwhelming success and an event to remember.

The Kelseyville Business Association offered its sincerest thanks to everyone who helped make the event a success.