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BIRMINGHAM, TOLEDO — The savory aroma of sizzling bacon, the strum of live music, and the chill of local craft brews will fill the air this Saturday as the 11th annual Toledo Beer & Bacon Fest returns to the Hungarian Club of Toledo.
Coinciding with the start of Father’s Day weekend, the festival is set to feature more than 45 beers, ciders, and hard seltzers from 15 regional craft breweries. Each beverage will be paired with an array of Hungarian-inspired bacon dishes, creating a sensory celebration of Toledo’s culinary and brewing culture.
The event is organized by the Hungarian Club of Toledo in collaboration with Glass City Mashers, a local homebrewing club. Known for its laid-back, backyard-style atmosphere and strong community ties, the festival draws hundreds of attendees each year.
“There’s nothing quite like beer, bacon, and live music to start Father’s Day weekend right,” said Peter Ujvagi, one of the event’s original organizers.
Launched in 2014 as the Birmingham Craft Beer Fest by Ujvagi and Scott Yarnell—who later co-founded Earnest Brew Works—the event began as a modest gathering during a time when national brands dominated local taps. As the regional craft beer scene expanded, the festival shifted focus entirely to local brews, a change that has held for the past eight years.
Now, all featured beverages come from breweries within roughly a two-hour drive of Toledo. This year’s lineup includes returning favorites like Maumee Bay Brewing, Findlay Brewing, and Arlyn’s Good Beer of Bowling Green, alongside first-time participants such as Ottawa Brewing and Sandusky’s Bait House Brewing.
Like many public events, the festival faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted attendance and momentum. “We definitely took a hit,” Yarnell acknowledged. “People got out of the habit of going out. And we’re still building back.”
Despite setbacks, the event has maintained a strong base of supporters. “We still see new people every year,” said Jon Sicotte, executive editor of Brewer Magazine and a longtime contributor to the festival. “People still want to get out, try new beers, and experience something that’s rooted in their community.”
Sicotte, who has worked on the festival for nine of its 11 years, credits its success to a careful balance of tradition and novelty. “If you’re just putting out the same beer and food every year, it gets stale,” he said. “We try to keep it fresh with new breweries, new dishes, and always a good atmosphere.”
From its humble beginnings with just five breweries, the festival has grown to reflect the vibrancy of the local beer scene. With more than 40 breweries now operating within the 419 area code, organizers rotate participants to ensure a diverse showcase each year.
Food remains a central attraction. Attendees can expect at least a dozen bacon-infused dishes, ranging from crowd favorites like bacon on a stick to regional staples such as “hunky turkey,” bacon popcorn, and the signature Birmingham hot dogs.
A new feature this year will allow guests to exchange three of their 10 standard tasting punches for a full 12-ounce pour—an option organizers say better complements the hearty food offerings.
General admission tickets are priced at $40 and include 10 tastings, while designated driver tickets are available for $15 and include food samples. Attendees must be 21 or older. Additional food and drink tickets will be sold on site. Tickets are available on Eventbrite and through the Toledo Beer & Bacon Fest Facebook page.
The festival runs from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.
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