Bacon took center stage for four days in May, with downtown restaurants featuring the pork bellies in specialty dishes while also raising money for local charities.

Bacon-inspired dishes included “Bacon on a Stick” appetizers at Dust Bowl,  and pork belly and waffles topped with a Dust Bowl Scotch Ale maple reduction at 10 East. Bistro 234 chef Leroy Walker offered Bacon Week visitors a crispy maple bacon appetizer topped with fig jam, apricot brandy pork belly entree, and vanilla maple bacon ice cream.

“From my perspective, I was surprised from the word of mouth advertising in the community. Obviously everyone was excited about bacon, and I had multiple people commit on how great it was that the downtown restaurants were able to team up and work together to create a downtown-only event,” said Bistro 234 Chef Leroy Walker.

Over $1,600 was raised through the sale of bacon week T-shirts with the proceeds going to the Friends of Turlock Animal Shelter, Jessica’s House, Turlock Gospel Mission and Turlock Alzheimer's Support Group. 10 East raised over $1,000 alone for the Animal Shelter.

The Downtown Association still has Bacon Week T -shirts available which can be purchased for $20 in the downtown office located at 202 W. Main St.