This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

NEW ORLEANS – A record number of teams enter Hogs for the Cause Bacon Night competition. Hogs for the Cause has announced nearly 100 BBQ teams will participate in the 12th annual charity event on Fri., March 27 and Sat., March 28 at the UNO Lakefront Arena Grounds.

In its third year, Bacon Night presented by Nueske’s, welcomes teams to create and sell their own unique bacon dish, as well as serve BBQ samples. The gates open at 3:30 p.m. on Friday night and Nueske’s will have nearly two tons of bacon on site for the teams to use in their creations. Tickets to Nueske’s Bacon Night are $30 each and can be purchased here.

“Bacon Night has proven to be just as competitive and exciting as our competition that takes place on Saturday,” said Becker Hall, executive director and co-founder of Hogs for the Cause. “We are honored that Nueske’s has returned again as our Bacon Night sponsor, and provides the smoked bacon to feed the thousands of people that come to support our cause, eat the food, drink the beer and listen to the music.” Bacon Night dishes include everything from bacon straws, bacon and gruyere pie, Kung Pao bacon and a bacon muffaletta to bacon bread pudding, bacon beignets, a BBQ sundae and maple bacon doughnuts.

“Next to bacon, our bands literally take center stage,” said Rene Louapre, director & co-founder of Hogs. “We have nine local and national acts across three stages, entertaining guests throughout the evening; and new this year, we have Nonc Nu & The Wild Matous playing two sets in the Urban South Beer Tent.”

As always, more than bacon will be on the menu—attendees will find a full line up of Urban South draft beers including Lime Cucumber, Paradise Park, Holy Roller, Snoball Juice, Grapefruit Holy Roller, Blackberry Tart, and Who Dat, as well as canned selections from Anheuser-Busch and Urban South. Hogtails, wine, soft drinks and more food will also be available for purchase. Hogs for the Cause uses only RFID wristbands for entry and food and beverage purchases. The RFID wristband serves as the ticket and digital wallet for each patron. Tickets are on sale on the Hogs for the Cause website at www.hogsforthecause.org.

2020 Sponsors include Children’s Hospital Michelob Ultra, Tito’s Vodka, Blue Plate Mayonnaise, Luzianne Tea, Phelps, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, Don Julio Tequila, Nueske’s, White Claw, Seagrams 7, Urban South Brewery, BBQGuys, Maui Jim, Irpino Avin Hawkins Law Firm, Hogwash Rose, and Boucaner Wine.