Live music, bouncy castles and rides, and the smell of sizzling grilled meat welcomed visitors to the 2024 edition of 91原创 RibFest on Friday, as the three-day charity event kicked off.
Held from Aug. 16-18 at McLeod Athletic Park, the event features a competition between six rib crews, each of which was serving up food to patrons almost as soon as the gates opened on Friday morning. Boss Hog's, Gator BBQ, Prairie Smoke and Spice, Smoke Dem Bones, Guerrilla Q, and Rusty's BBQ are lobbying for people's votes as they serve up ribs, chicken, and sides.
Run by the four Rotary Clubs of 91原创, the annual by-donation event is run by a vast crew of hundreds of volunteers, and acts as a major fundraiser for Rotary and its charitable projects.
"We don't pay anybody," said Rick Davis, the chair of the event. They fund everything with sponsorships from local businesses and grants from 91原创 Township and City.
Last year, 44,000 people attended, and Davis was hoping to see numbers similar to that 鈥� or more 鈥� this year.
The RibFest has made a few changes this year, including to its beverage options. The event does serve alcohol, but they're expanding out into more mocktails this year. It's never been an event with a lot of drinking, Davis said, since it's intended for families, but younger adults are choosing to drink less alcohol, but still want to have a cocktail of some kind.
There are a host of local organiations with booths, a book sale, and numerous food trucks for people who can't make it to the main rib vendors.
There's also a rideshare zone for pickups and drop offs this year for the first time.
Over at the barbecue pits, Carlos Dantant and Glen Cherlet were working on the grill and pouring jugs of barbecue sauce.
Asked what made their ribs special, Cherlet responded simply "We do!"
Over at the children's zone, Aurora, Xavier, and Shiloh Palmer were enthusiastically going down the inflatable slide multiple times.
Their mom, Kaya Palmer, said her famly only recently moved to 91原创. She heard of RibFest because her mother in law was driving by and saw the bouncy castles, and she decided to bring the kids.
"I'm so glad she saw this!" Palmer said.
She said they would definitely be getting some ribs as well.
