McCLURE — If you’ve ever wondered what pure joy smells like, the answer is bacon — and on Saturday, April 18, Station Park in McClure will smell like 10 years’ worth of it.

The 10th Annual McClure Bacon Fest is rolling into town from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and organizers are promising the biggest, boldest, most delightfully over-the-top celebration yet.

Free admission? Check. Rain-or-shine commitment? Absolutely. More than 150 vendors? You bet. More than 80 bacon menu items? Try not to drool on the newspaper.

What started as a small community fundraiser has grown into a full-blown regional pilgrimage for bacon lovers, families, foodies and anyone who believes that spring officially begins the moment you’re handed bacon on a stick. The McClure Revitalization Committee has watched the festival expand year after year, stretching across both sides of Station Park and drawing thousands who come ready to eat, shop, explore, and celebrate.

The menu: a decade of “I can’t believe they did that with bacon”

Let’s be honest — people don’t come to Bacon Fest for subtlety. They come for the kind of food that makes you text your friends, “You won’t believe what I just ate.”

This year’s lineup reads like a love letter to bacon in all its forms. The classics are back: bacon on a stick, BLTs, bacon mac and cheese, loaded fries, bacon cheeseburgers and the legendary “Squealin'” grilled cheese stacked with six slices of bacon. Six. That’s not a sandwich, that’s a commitment.

But the festival’s true charm lies in its creativity. Vendors are once again pushing the boundaries of what bacon can be. Expect bacon bao buns, bacon Irish nachos, bacon fried rice, bacon taco soup and the “Triple Piggy Deluxe” flatbread. There are dips — bacon horseradish, cheesy bacon, sundried tomato and bacon — and soups ranging from bacon chicken corn to bacon cheeseburger.

And then there’s the sweet side, which has grown into its own universe. Maple bacon cupcakes. Bacon brownies.

Chocolate-covered bacon. Bacon kettle corn. Maple bacon truffles. Bacon sticky buns. Bacon-infused cookies. Bacon marshmallow clusters. Maple pancake bacon sundaes. If you can imagine it, someone has probably dipped it in chocolate and added bacon.

Part of the fun is discovering the new items vendors dream up each year. Organizers have been asking festival-goers to share their favorite past creations and their wish lists for year ten, and the responses have ranged from the nostalgic to the wildly ambitious. Bacon Fest fans are nothing if not opinionated.

More than food: a full-day festival with something for everyone

Even if you somehow manage to resist the siren call of bacon (good luck), there’s plenty to do. Live music and a deejay will keep the park buzzing all day, giving visitors a place to relax between tastings or dance off a few calories before round two.

Families will find the inflatable zone ready to go with an $8 all-day wristband. It’s become a staple of the festival — a place where kids can bounce, climb, and slide while parents browse the vendor rows or enjoy a few quiet minutes with a maple bacon latte.

For adults, the Bacon Fest Beverage Garden returns from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring regional beer, wine and spirits vendors. It’s strictly 21 and older with ID required, and it’s become a favorite stop for visitors looking to pair a local brew with their bacon-themed snacks.

A festival with heart — and hometown pride

Behind the fun, the festival remains rooted in its original mission: supporting the McClure Revitalization Committee and its work in the community. Proceeds from Bacon Fest help fund local projects, park improvements, beautification efforts, and other initiatives that strengthen the borough.

For residents, the festival is more than an event — it’s a point of pride. It’s a day that showcases McClure’s creativity, hospitality, and ability to pull off a large-scale celebration while still feeling like a hometown gathering. For visitors, it’s a chance to experience a small community at its best.

Kick off with Piggy Trot 5K

The festival day begins early with the annual Piggy Trot, a 5K run and walk hosted by the Middlecreek Council of Churches. The event starts at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 18, with registration opening at 8:30 a.m. at the McClure Fire Hall at 49 W. Specht Street. The course winds through town and has become a lighthearted kickoff to the day’s festivities, giving runners and walkers a chance to get moving before heading to Station Park for the full Bacon Fest experience.

A decade of bacon deserves a celebration this big

As Bacon Fest hits its 10th year, organizers are leaning into the milestone. Signs are popping up around town, vendors are teasing their menus, and social media is buzzing with debates about the best bacon creation of all time. (Maple bacon donuts? Chocolate-covered bacon? The six-slice grilled cheese? The people have opinions.)

For many families, the festival marks the unofficial start of spring — a chance to get outside, reconnect with neighbors, and enjoy a day that blends small-town charm with big-festival energy. Whether visitors come for the food, the shopping, the entertainment, or simply the tradition,

Bacon Fest has a way of turning first-timers into regulars.

With free admission, a sprawling vendor lineup, and a menu that grows more inventive every year, the 10th Annual McClure Bacon Fest is poised to be the biggest celebration yet. For bacon lovers, families, and anyone looking for a lively spring outing, April 18 at Station Park is the place to be.