04/24/2026
With heavy hearts, we raise a piece of bacon—to our brother, our friend, our one and only Sergeant of Bacon, Mark Pederson.
Mark passed away unexpectedly on April 21, 2026, leaving behind his two boys, Reid and Graham, who he loved beyond measure and was endlessly proud of. His folks, Cherly & Denny Pederson, his brother Neil & Natalie Pederson, and two nephews.
If you knew Mark, you knew he didn’t just show up… he brought it. He brought the energy, the stories, the laughs, and that unmistakable presence that made every room, every festival, every trip better.
We were lucky to share some unforgettable miles together—from the wild, beautiful chaos of Iceland, where the nights were long and the laughs were even longer… to Keystone, Colorado, where the mountains echoed with bacon-fueled stories and brotherhood that only a few get to experience.
Mark wasn’t just part of the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival… he was part of the soul of it. The kind of guy who earned a title like “Sergeant of Bacon” not because it was given—but because he lived it.
He was a loyal friend. The “through thick and thin” type that you don’t get many of in this life.
This one hurts.
But if there’s one thing we know—it’s that Mark would want us to keep the party going, keep the stories flowing, and never take a single moment for granted.
So this weekend, wherever you are… fire up the griddle and give an “OHHHH, BACON!”
To Mark.
To the memories.
To the miles we traveled together.
And to the ones we’ll carry with us forever.
We love you, brother.
