Downtown Sudbury Ribfest celebrates a milestone over the Labour Day weekend — its 10th edition.
“I don't think any of us would have expected it to become the kind of festival it has in terms of a solid community event and solid tourist attraction for our city,” said Downtown Sudbury executive director Maureen Luoma.
In 2016, 55,000 people attended the festival. “If it's not the largest, it's certainly one of the largest community festivals in Northern Ontario,” Luoma said.
The event, which runs Sept. 1-3 at the corner of Larch and Elgin streets, follows the same format that's proven so popular since it launched in 2008.
That includes a children's area, a full lineup of live music (including Saturday headliners Just Heart, a Heart tribute band) and a car and motorcycle show.
And, of course, there's the six rib teams that will be set up along Elgin Street — Boss Hog's BBQ, Crabby's BBQ Shack, Jack the Ribber, Ribs Royale BBQ, Texas Rangers and Smokehouse Bandits.
Awards will be handed out Sunday for Best Ribs, Best Chicken, Best Sauce and Peoples' Choice Award — with that last one, you're invited to vote for your favourite at the Downtown Sudbury booth during the festival.
The event supports the Sudbury branch of the Canadian Red Cross, and in return, the charity co-ordinates the volunteers crucial to the festival's success.
“Ribfest is sort of the bookend of our summer festival season,” said Jeff MacIntyre, chair of Downtown Sudbury.
“It's like the last meal before students go back to school. It's the end of summer, and it's generally a pretty amazing party. So it's going to be nice to see all of Sudbury come out and enjoy their downtown.”
The festival runs Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information, visit the festival's Facebook page.
