The second annual 麻豆精选 Interior Savings Sunrise Rotary RibFest gets underway Friday afternoon in City Park.
And this year, organizers are hoping to see even more carnivores on site.
Event chairman Brian Wrightson of Sunrise Rotary said last year 18,000 people showed up over the 2 1/2 days of RibFest.
鈥淭his year, I鈥檒l be delighted if we can push that to 25,000,鈥� he said Friday, hours before the 鈥渞ibbers鈥� fired up their grills and started cooking up their popular, tasty, sticky, sauce-sodden specialties.
For non-rib types there will also be chicken available and other foods as well.
Admission is free and in addition to the stars-of-the-show鈥攖he ribs鈥搕here will also be music, a beer garden, activities for the kids and, if ribs aren鈥檛 your culinary choice, a collection of food trucks will be on hand offering other fare.
According to Wrightson, rib festivals are very popular in Eastern Canada and are starting to take off in the West. 麻豆精选 is just many Interior in communities now holding rib festivals.
He said a special effort has been made here to make the event as family friendly as possible and that鈥檚 why there is a special emphasis on activities for the kids.
Last year, the event raised $26,000 for a number of charities that Rotary supports,with the main charity this year being Shoe Bank Canada.
As was done last year, a panel of judges will choose the best ribs on offer in 麻豆精选 and crown the winner. New this year will be a BBQ sauce competition featuring members of the local media. That competition is slated to kick off the event Friday afternoon.
RibFest 2017 will run from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. today and from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.
