The scent of barbecue will waft through the downtown core this long-weekend as London Ribfest returns for yet another year.
The London Ribfest and Craft Beer Festival kicks off in Victoria Park Thursday afternoon and it is expected to make a more triumphant return this year since COVID-19 restrictions have lifted.
Organizers were forced to cancel the event in 2020, several months after the pandemic began. In 2021, the festival returned, but without vendors and some restrictions on the number of people allowed in the park. Now, the event which marks the start of the Civic Holiday, is set to go ahead much like it did pre-pandemic.
Around 150 vendors will be in attendance at this year’s Ribfest. Those heading down to the park for the barbecue will be able to choose from 10 different rib teams including: Boss Hog’s, Louisiana Barbecue, BubbaLou’s Bar-B-Q, Kentucky Smokehouse, Oak and Barrel, Texas Jack’s, Smokehouse Bandits, Fat Boys Barbecue, Silver Bullet Bar-B-Q and Gonzalez BBQ.
For those not interested in grilled meats, other food vendors will be in the park cooking up a many summertime festival favourites. Additional vendors peddling various goods and services will also be in the park.
This year craft cocktails will be served a at the craft beer tent from a number of local breweries. While you sip on your beverage, a lineup of musical guests of varying genres will also be preforming.
The weekend’s musical line up is as follows:
• Thursday: The Junior Mints, 7:30 p.m., Sweetwood Mac 9:30 p.m.
• Friday: Matt Moskal, 3 p.m., Shelly Rastin Band, 5 p.m., After the Lounge, 7 p.m., Carin Parrot, 8 p.m., Destroyer, 9:30 p.m.
• Saturday: Running From Daylight, 1:15 p.m., Lime Ricky, 2:15 p.m., Dangersex, 3:15 p.m., Polluted, 4:15 p.m., Ridgeway, 5:15 p.m., K-Man and the 45s, 6:15 p.m., Solarus, 7:45 p.m.; The Filthy Rascals, 8:45 p.m., Rebel Few 10 p.m.
• Sunday: Open Stage with J-Me, 1 p.m., The Rumblebees, 5:30 p.m., The King Jives, 7:30 p.m., Twin Fin at 9:30 p.m.
• Monday: Nasty Alex Karaoke Band, 1 p.m., Butch Haller and his Chesterfield Ramblers, 6 p.m.
Ribfest will be open between 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. It will close early on Monday at 6 p.m. No admissions are required.
