Encased Meats Celebrated At Chicago's Sausage Fest

Photo: The 2013 Sausage King of Chicago.

If you love sausage as long as you don’t have to watch it being made, seven stellar sausage makers from Chicago will converge this weekend for an encased meat confab designed for food enthusiasts of all ages.

SausageFest kicks off at Old St. Michael’s in Old Town, 1633 Cleveland Ave., Aug. 22 through Aug. 24, celebrating Chicago’s most unique encased meats.

Seven stellar sausage makers -- including three of the city’s most beloved and long standing butchers -- will grilling and serving a variety of gourmet sausages.

The burgeoning sausage festival features artisan meats, refreshing drinks and family-friendly games and activities, culminating in the crowing of the Sausage King of Chicago.

The sausage king contestants are in a race to see who can raise the most donations for the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring, empowering and serving injured veterans and service members, as well as their families.

To become a contest simply create a profile here and start collecting donations for the Wounded Warrior Project. The contestant that raises the most donations will win an ample prize, free food at SausageFest, plus bragging rights as the “Sausage King of Chicago.”

On Saturday and Sunday, SausageFest and Medieval Times will team up for a tournament where knights will don their armour and unsheathe their swords for an epic sword fighting duel.

Festgoers will be able to sample sausages from these fine vendors:

• The best Polish sausage this side of Warsaw from the Southwest Side’s Boback Sausage Company;
• Mouthwatering Italian and Barese sausages from the West Side Little Italy neighborhood’s Bari;
• Chicago’s Dog House’s famous alligator sausage;
• South African inspired dogs from Haute Sausage;
• Classic brats from the inimitable Paulina Meat Market;
• Inventive bratwursts from Gilbert’s Sausage Company;
• Internationally inspired franks from Kaiser Tiger.

If encased meats aren’t your thing, Dia De Los Tamales will be serving vegan and vegetarian options (as well as their own twist on a Chicago dog - in a tamale).

SausageFest hours are 5-10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22; noon to 10 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

For more information visit the SausageFest 2014 website.