The Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival stemmed from a “man on the street” interview when creator Brooks Reynolds was asked, “What festival is Des Moines missing?”  The rest is history.

Reynolds and Melinda Toyne were both involved in starting the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival 10 years ago. The event has grown from 200 attendees at downtown Des Moines’ High Life Lounge in 2007 to more than 12,000 annually at the Iowa Events Center.  The pair will discuss the role public relations played in helping the festival grow to be the largest in the world.  They will also cover the unique challenges that the event faces now and how PR has played a part in the evolution of Baconfest ten years later.

Reynolds, Chair of the Iowa Bacon Board, and Toyne, Festival Director and owner of In Any Event, will also discuss other festivals and events they produce around the state, region and even other parts of the world.  Be prepared to learn a proper Baconfest cheer: OHHHH, BACON!

All meeting attendees will be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to the 2017 Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, Feb. 18 , at the Iowa Events Center. Register today!

Brooks Reynolds

P. Brooks Reynolds is a co-founder of the world-famous Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival and the face of the Iowa Bacon Board.

Since starting Baconfest in 2007, Reynolds has helped raise more than $500,000 for not-for-profits in Iowa. The creation of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour in Keystone, CO and Reykjavik, Iceland have also garnered significant donations made to not-for-profits in the respective cities.

Reynolds graduated from Grandview University in 2000 and has been a leader in the greater Des Moines community, volunteering his time and expertise to a variety of causes, including Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa, Young Variety, Central Iowa Shelter & Services, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and many other organizations.

Reynolds is frequently cited for his outstanding leadership abilities and contributions. He was named a finalist for Des Moines Register Juice Young Professionals Award 2010 and received the Variety the Children's Charity International Presidential Citation Award in 2011.    

Melinda (Mindy) Toyne

After attending Drake University, Melinda (Mindy) Toyne spent the better part of a decade working as an Advertising Account Manager at Schreurs & Associates / Strategic America. As she worked with key accounts including The Iowa Lottery and Kum & Go, she recognized the need for an event-specific service provider in Central Iowa. In September of 2004 Mindy founded In Any Event, a full service event planning and production company based in Des Moines.

Trade shows, award ceremonies, food and wine events, golf tournaments and elite private affairs are all under the umbrella of productions which In Any Event executes. The team at In Any Event has the pleasure of working with esteemed clients such as the Technology Association of Iowa, Full Court Press Inc., La Quercia, Templeton Rye, and many others. In Any Event is also very involved in the community partnering with numerous non-profits including Above + Beyond Cancer, the Autism Society of Iowa, and Mentor Iowa.

In Any Event specializes in producing large-scale public festivals and events such as Oktoberfest and the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, which are now in their thirteenth and tenth years, respectively.

Tickets

$20.00 PRSA Central Iowa Chapter Member
$25.00 after 5:00 pm January 18

$30.00 Non-member
$35.00 after 5:00 pm January 18

$10.00 Student
$15.00 after 5:00 pm January 18