NH Bacon & Beer Festival
Returns June 1, 2024!!
High Hopes Foundation is excited to announce that the 8th annual Bacon & Beer Festival will return to Merrimack, NH on June 1, 2024! For 40 years, High Hopes Foundation has provided life-enhancing experiences and medical equipment to New Hampshire's terminally and chronically ill children. Bacon & Beer is our primary fundraiser, celebrating greasy, fatty, savory bacon alongside the endless possibilities of well-crafted brews.
This year we are on track for our biggest event yet: 60 craft brewers (featuring 150 brew options), and 50 bacon and barbecue samplers. We hope you will join us!
Great brews, awesome bacon dishes and live music will make for a perfect day of fun! We all need a little hope for the future, so thank you for your continued support of High Hopes Foundation and helping us make the dreams of New Hampshire children come alive!
About NH Bacon & Beer Festival
The NH Bacon & Beer Festival is a fundraiser organized by High Hopes Foundation of New Hampshire – who for 40 years have provided life-enhancing experiences and medical equipment to New Hampshire's terminally and chronically ill children. Our guiding principle is to “make hope happen.” Learn more at www.HighHopesFoundation.org.
2024 NH Bacon & Beer Festival Details
THIS IS A CHARITY BREWFEST EVENT
Date: Saturday, June 1, 2024 – 1:30pm to 4:30pm (VIP Festival Admission at 12:30pm & General Admission at 1:30pm)
60+ craft brewers (150+ brew options), 25 bacon samples, and the Pulled Pork People’s Choice Contest is BACK with 25+ pulled pork samplers!
VIP and General Admission ticket holders will be issued a keepsake sampling glass with continuous 3.5 oz pours. VIPs can purchase individual beers inside the Biergarten VIP Lounge (must be consumed within the Biergarten).
Local restaurants, food trucks and catering companies will share food samples that contain bacon, while they last — vote on your favorite! Some bacon samplers will sell larger servings after they have exhausted their free samples.
The North Country Smokehouse People’s Choice Pulled Pork Contest returns and takes place Saturday afternoon, featuring 25 competition BBQ teams from throughout the Northeast, offering pulled pork samples while they last — vote on your favorite!
Event held rain or shine.
21+ Event — NO children or pets will be allowed into the event area, including babies in carriers.
NO backpacks or large bags will be allowed — only small purses or fanny packs, which are subject to search.
NO outside alcohol or weapons of any kind may be brought in.
Folding “camp” chairs are allowed to be set up in front of the Music Stage. Chairs may not be larger than 3’x3’ in size.
Location: Anheuser-Busch Brewery — Outdoor Fields, 221 Daniel Webster Hwy, Merrimack NH
Music: This year’s event will feature The Slakas
COVID Safety Protocols:
OUTDOOR LOCATION: The event is located outdoors and has plenty of space for social distancing while in lines or hanging out with your party.
PARKING: No shuttles will be provided. Guests can park at the location, or they may arrive by ride-share transportation. Try to carpool if possible as parking is limited.
MASK USAGE: Masks are not required for any individual, but people may wear them for their own comfort level.
On-Site Preparation:
SAMPLING GLASS: Attendees will be provided a reusable and keepsake sampling glass to present to brewers.
BACON SAMPLES: Bacon Samplers will be located together to make them easy to spot. They will have a sign that indicates “Bacon Samples Here.” After they exhaust their free samples, some of the Bacon Samplers may also sell larger dishes.
VIP LANYARD: A VIP lanyard is issued to VIPs and is required to access the Biergarten VIP lounge.
VENDORS: A variety of dessert and merchandise vendors will offer products and services at an extra cost to attendees, In addition, some Bacon Samplers will sell larger servings after they have exhausted their free samples, so you may be able to get more of your favorite offerings. Some vendors may take cash (but there is no cash machine on site), but most will take cashless payment.
Tickets: Three tiers of tickets will be released: VIP, General Admission & Designated Driver, with the following perks. On-site, day-of pricing increases from $15-25 per ticket. VIP Festival Admission starts @ 12:30 pm and General Admission starts @ 1:30 pm
VIP Admission: $100 Online / $125 On-Site (if available) - Limited to 600 tickets! Includes 1-hour Early festival admission at 12:30pm, NEW VIP Cocktail Hour from 11:30am-12:30pm with exclusive appetizers and drinks courtesy of North Country Smokehouse/Canteen/Downeast Cider/Founders Brewery, Continuous 3.5 oz. Brew tastings, Bacon samples while they last - vote on your favorite, 15-minute early entry into North Country Smokehouse Pulled Pork People's Choice Contest at 3:00pm, Pulled Pork samples while they last – vote on your favorite, Exclusive take-home sampling glass, Exclusive VIP Lounge on Biergarten Lawn opens at 11:30am with rain cover, tables, seating and front-row access to music, Exclusive VIP Restroom use inside Biergarten, (1) Bottled water, Premiere parking on paved lots – available starting at 11:30am
General Admission: $60 / $80 On-Site (if available) - Includes Continuous 3.5 oz. Brew tastings, Bacon samples while they last - vote on your favorite, North Country Smokehouse Pulled Pork People's Choice Contest at 3:15pm with Pulled Pork samples while they last – vote on your favorite, Exclusive take-home sampling glass, (1) bottled water, Free parking on grass field – available starting at 12:30pm
Designated Driver: $35 / $50 On-Site (if available) - Includes Bacon samples while they last - vote on your favorite, North Country Smokehouse Pulled Pork People's Choice Contest at 3:15pm with Pulled Pork samples while they last – vote on your favorite, (2) Bottled waters, Free parking on grass field – available starting at 12:30pm
*** Individual beer will not be available for purchase in the event field ***
Logistics: ID Check will be at entrance for all attendees. Attendees must be 21+ to enter. Designated Drivers will have a separate color band — any Designated Drivers found drinking beer samples will be asked to pay an extra $25 to get a General Admission pass (beer will not be available to purchase). No persons younger than 21 years of age will allowed into the festival area; this includes children and infants.
Need transportation assistance to get to/from the event safely?
Bring a Designated Driver, or use a ride-share service such as Uber or Lyft.