Bacon cotton candy, pork belly beignets, bacon crabcakes, fried oreos. Can you hear the cracklin’? Can you smell the porkpourri? The time has come. Hogs for the Cause returns this weekend March 29 and 30 at the UNO Lakefront Arena. Ninety teams compete in seven categories at this two-day BBQ fest. My only hope for you is that you didn’t give up pork for Lent. (vegetarian items are available in case you did). Pork options for days, weeks, even years, live music on three stages, local beer, and specialty Hogtails – all benefiting families fighting pediatric brain cancer.

Hogs for the Cause gets the party started this Friday with the return of Bacon Night. Over two tons of the most delectable bacon dishes around. You didn’t read that wrong, two TONS. Each team will be whipping up their own specialty bacon dish. Bacon Night highlights include Bacon Jam Grilled Cheese from team 16 Cracklins; Aunt Sallys’ Bacon Pralines from team Deadpork; Smoked Bacon Kettle Corn from team Fine Swinin’; “Pig Candy” aka chocolate Dipped Bacon from team Hair of the Hog; and Bacon Bread Pudding from team Irish Brew BBQ.

Pace yourself, because Saturday night is the main event. Local and regional BBQ masters and the best backyard chefs compete in seven categories: whole hog, ribs, pork butt/shoulder, porkpourri, sauce, fan favorite, and fundraising champion. The team names are almost as epic as the food they’re serving: Swinel Richie, Sir-Pork-A-Lot, Hupigs and Silence of the Da Hams to name a few.

Musical acts include OffBeat covergirl Boyfriend, Dumpstaphunk with George Porter Jr., Lost Bayou Ramblers, Walter “Wolfman” Washington and The Roadmasters, Marco Benevento, Samantha Fish, Hot 8 Brass Band, The Iceman Special and many more.

For full menu lineup and to purchase tickets, click here.