Lip smacking menu at Welland ribfest
Got a hankering for smoked ribs dripping in delicious sauces or coated with a tasty dry rub?
Or maybe pulled pork and barbecued chicken served with coleslaw and cornbread is more your style.
Whatever your taste, you can find it at the annual Welland Rib and Craft Beer Fest on the Niagara Regional Exhibition grounds, 1100 Niagara St., all weekend.
“It’s the fourth year Northern Heat Rib Series has put this on in Welland. We have four rib vendors … and we’re excited to have the teams back and they are excited to be here,” said series owner and organizer Justin Brown.
“We have some dry rubs and sauces that weren’t available last year, there will be some new flavours people can try.”
Brown was on the exhibition grounds Friday morning as vendors were setting up and ribs from Louisiana Bar B Que, Kentucky Smokehouse, Mustang Sally’s and Oak & Barrel were in smokers as they all prepared for the 4 p.m. opening of the event.
In addition to the food, which also includes poutine, burgers and sausages, there will be things like mini-doughnuts; deep-fried Nutella, chocolate bars and ice cream; funnel cakes; blooming onions; Jolly Rancher slushies; fresh-squeezed lemonade and more.
Brown said to help wash the ribs, pork and chicken down, ribfest attendees will have their choice of beers from eight different craft breweries set up at the fully-licensed event.
“There will be something for everyone.”
Brown said the Welland event came about when the London, Ontario-based Northern Heat Rib Series launched.
“We were looking at communities that didn’t have a ribfest, like Welland, and saying, ‘Hey, why not Welland.’ We thought it could be a success and here we are four years later and it’s still going strong.”
He said they look forward to the event and know that Wellanders look forward to it taking place.
The event runs Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free.