Weekend forecast: hot and juicy
It’s time to pig out at the third annual Penticton Rotary Ribfest.
The three-day event began Friday morning at Okanagan Lake Park and features four professional ribbers along with live entertainment, children’s activities and a beer garden.
“We have lots of new entertainment. Roland Allen will rock right up until the fireworks and we’re very excited to have Jaydee Bixby, runner-up on Canadian Idol, playing with his band on Sunday night,” event chair Barb Hoolaeff of the Rotary Club of Penticton said.
The event began Friday morning with a celebrity sauce competition, which was won by Penticton’s Sun FM team. Judging for the professionals will be held today at 2:15 p.m. with the winners announced Sunday.
Ribs sell for as little as $16 for a halfrack, with valet service available for an additional $2 which saves patrons the trouble of standing in line. Waits can often be as long as 45 minutes during peak hours, Hoolaeff warns.
For vegetarians and vegans there are several food trucks available which don’t serve ribs.
The Penticton event is now one of five Rotary Ribfests in B.C. A similar event will be held in September in Kelowna. Ribfest is now part of the July 1 calendar of events in Penticton, which also includes the Penticton Scottish Festival at King’s Park and Canada Day activities at Gyro Park.
Hoolaeff said last year’s event attracted 35,000 visitors and involves 375 volunteers, including many Rotarians.
Today’s entertainment includes Chipko Jones, Pure Twang, This Old Ghost Town and the Roland Allen Trio. Sunday’s calendar of live music features Nerd Rebellion, Timbre Wolves, This Old Ghost Town, Pure Twang and the Jaydee Bixby Band.
All proceeds from this year’s Ribfest will be donated to the Youth Engagement Strategy project.