There was a lot of write ups for the London Ribfest 2013 in the London Free Press this year:
http://www.lfpress.com/2013/07/30/londoners-relish-ribfest-which-runs-thursday-through-holiday-monday-at-victoria-park
http://www.lfpress.com/2013/07/31/members-of-cecil-hilliers-family-have-operated-family-shows-canada-for-the-past-20-years
http://www.lfpress.com/2013/07/31/pop-to-blues-to-folk-rock-to-country-ribfest-has-full-entertainment-menu
http://www.lfpress.com/2013/08/02/you-be-the-judge-urges-judge-belanger
It was a great day for the festival in Victoria Park in London Ontario. It was sunny and warm in the sun, but it was not humid out. There were a ton of people all out enjoying rides, crafts and food. Lots and lots of food.
The park is laid out with the vendors winding through the wooded parts, but their is a big field in the middle for people to sit out, relax and enjoy some ribs.
Even Fido with his hat was enjoying the park!
Throughout the park are volunteers manning the EcoStations for recycling. As you can see, there is a ton of garbage at an event where 100 000+ people are attending. The Ribbers also use biodegradable containers for their wares, which is great.
Not only are there 10 Rib Vendors cooking ribs, but there are over 100 other food vendors in the park. So even if you don't like ribs, there are a lot of other food choices. It's become a tradition that after my judging LJ and I get a deep fried Mars bar for dessert. So good.
Depending on the time of day, the line-ups for ribs can get pretty big - even 20 people deep. It's worth it. Ribs, pulled pork, chicken and fixins, this is easily the tastiest festival out there. And the smell; Blocks away from the park you can smell the smoke and the pork and it's just heaven. It helps that they have fans blowing the smoke for everyone to experience.
There are 10 Ribbers cooking up ribs and they come from both Canada and the US. Their stands are huge, and most of them have tables full of trophies. But don't let the trophies and the line-ups food you; go up and look at the ribs, ask for a taste of the sauce and then make your choice, as you might be surprised what you find.
I also love the showmanship of the ribbers. One of my favourites is Boss Hog's with their custom made grill and the dude showboating with sauce on the ribs. It's exciting!
The event is over now, but mark your calendars for next years London Ribfest. There's something for everyone, but especially for the carnivores out there. It's a great way to end the summer for sure.
As for me, this was my 5th year Judging, and it's always great to come back:
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