Canada's Largest Ribfest

Last updated
Canada's Largest Ribfest
Burlingtonrotaryribfest.jpg
The logo of Canada's Largest Ribfest
Begins06 September 2021
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Spencer Smith Park,
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Inaugurated1996
Participantsapprox. 175,000
Website http://www.canadaslargestribfest.com/

Canada's Largest Ribfest is the name of an annual ribfest food festival held in Spencer Smith Park by the lake shore in Burlington, Ontario. [1] The Burlington Lakeshore Rotary Club organizes the four-day-long Ribfest to raise money for charity [2] during the Labour Day weekend.

Contents

History

``Canada`s Largest Ribfest`` Ribfest1.jpg
``Canada`s Largest Ribfest``

The Burlington Lakeshore Rotary Club held the first Ribfest in 1996, then simply called the Ribfest.

By 2001, the festival had expanded to include ribs from 12 traveling rib teams. [3]

The 2004 festival anticipated about 150,000 people eating 36 tonnes of ribs. It was called the Maple Leaf Pork Rotary Ribfest that year. [4]

In early 2009, the Burlington Ribfest rebranded itself as "Canada's Largest Ribfest"—with its logo redesigned by Little Green Tree. [5] In September, 175,000 people and 18 rib teams attended the 14th annual Canada's Largest Ribfest, consuming 150,000 lbs of ribs over the weekend. [6] [7] An estimated $320,000 was raised for local charities.

In 2010, the Canadian Federal government provided Can$98,610 in funding for the Ribfest as part of a Can$100 million Marquee Tourism Events Program fund. [7] [8] [9]

2020, 2021 and 2022 saw drive-thru Ribfests due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Economic impact

Some of the Ribbers and crowd, 2008 Ribfest2.jpg
Some of the Ribbers and crowd, 2008

In 2003, an economic study was conducted on "Canada's Largest Ribfest." It found that almost 50% of visitors to the Ribfest come from outside Burlington. About 100% of those who came to the Ribfest would recommend it to out-of-town friends and/or relatives. About 69% said they would attend in 2007. About $1.8 million is being spent in the region by consumers. [10]

Charitable fundraising

Some of the Ribbers and crowd, 2008 Ribfest3.jpg
Some of the Ribbers and crowd, 2008

The Ribfest's funds are split to local organizations, business, and hospitals.

This is some of them:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississauga</span> City in Ontario, Canada

Mississauga, historically known as Toronto Township, is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Regional Municipality of Peel, adjoining the western border of Toronto. With a population of 717,961 as of 2021, Mississauga is the seventh-most populous municipality in Canada, third-most in Ontario, and second-most in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) after Toronto itself. However, for the first time in its history, the city's population declined according to the 2021 census, from a 2016 population of 721,599 to 717,961, a 0.5 percent decrease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burlington, Ontario</span> City in Halton Region, Ontario, Canada

Burlington is a city in the Regional Municipality of Halton at the west end of Lake Ontario in Ontario, Canada. Located approximately halfway between Toronto and Niagara Falls, it is part of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and Hamilton metropolitan census area.

The Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, commonly known as Humber College, is a public College of Applied Arts and Technology in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1967, Humber has two main campuses: the Humber North campus and the Lakeshore campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centennial College</span> College in Toronto, Canada

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port Credit</span> Neighbourhood in Peel, Ontario, Canada

Port Credit is a neighbourhood in the south-central part of the City of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, located at the mouth of the Credit River on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Its main intersection is Hurontario Street and Lakeshore Road, about 0.6 kilometres (0.37 mi) east of the river. Until 1974, Port Credit was an incorporated town. Its approximate boundaries are the Canadian National Railway to the north, Seneca Avenue to the east and Shawnmarr Road to the west. It had a population of 10,260 at the 2001 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakeshore West line</span> Commuter rail line serving Toronto, Canada

Lakeshore West is one of the seven train lines of the GO Transit system in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. It extends from Union Station in Toronto to Hamilton, along the shore of Lake Ontario. Some train trips extend past Hamilton to St. Catharines and Niagara Falls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Etobicoke—Lakeshore</span> Federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada

Etobicoke—Lakeshore is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronte, Ontario</span> Unincorporated community in Ontario, Canada

Bronte is the community that makes up much of the west end of Oakville, in Ontario, Canada. Twelve Mile Creek flows through the middle of town and empties into Lake Ontario. Main roads include Bronte Road (north-south), Lakeshore Road West and Rebecca Street (east-west). Streets in the business section include Lakeshore, Jones, Marine, and Ontario Street. Bronte is also accessed via a superhighway located to the north of the former village. Other main roads include Third Line, Speers Road and Burloak Drive to the west

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Smith Park</span> Canadian park

Spencer Smith Park is a park in downtown Burlington, Ontario located on the shore of Lake Ontario. It was named in memory of Spencer Smith, a former president of the Burlington Horticultural Society who was instrumental in the development of the park system throughout the city. It is home to the Sound of Music Festival, Canada's Largest Ribfest and the Burlington Beer Festival. It has a small beach and plenty of walking paths along Lake Ontario.

A cook-off is a cooking competition where the contestants each prepare dishes for judging either by a select group of judges or by the general public. Cook-offs are very popular among competitors with very similar dishes, such as chili, and serves as a way to decide which recipe is the best for that particular dish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jami Mosque (Toronto)</span> Mosque in Canada

Jami Mosque is a mosque in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located just east of High Park, it is the oldest Canadian Islamic centre in the city and dubbed "the mother of all the mosques in Toronto".

GO Transit is an interregional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada, operated by the provincial crown agency Metrolinx. It primarily serves the conurbation referred to by Metrolinx as the "Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area" (GTHA) with operations extending to several communities in the area centred around Toronto and Hamilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ribfest</span> Type of food festival that occurs throughout the United States and Canada

A ribfest, sometimes called a rib cook-off, is a type of food festival that occurs throughout the United States and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Ribfest</span> Annual festival held in London, Ontario, Canada

The London Ribfest is a festival held annually in London, Canada on the weekend of Civic Holiday. It has been running since 1985 and involves charity and home show exhibits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaches International Jazz Festival</span>

The Beaches International Jazz Festival is a month-long music festival held each year in the lakeside Beaches community of Toronto in July. Originally started in 1989, it is now one of Canada's largest free jazz festivals with nearly 1,000,000 attendees, throughout its month-long span. The Festival takes place across a number of venues; stage concerts are held in several different parks within the area and also along a two kilometre stretch of the Beach mainstreet during StreetFest - Queen Street East. Every year, the Festival brings in internationally acclaimed jazz performers while also showcasing local talent, including "new generation" jazz musicians. The Festival now hires around 1000 artists per annum, including 50 bands for its "StreetFest" event along Queen Street East. The Festival offers concerts at various locations: the Woodbine Park Main Stage, Jimmie Simpson Park Main Stage, Big Band Stage, SING! A capella Stage. The Festival holds a Workshop and Lecture Series which varies each year and is programmed to appeal to both professional musicians and to the general jazz loving public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riverside Park (Guelph)</span>

Riverside Park is an 80-acre (32-hectare) park located by the northern part of Woolwich Street in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It is built around a portion of the Speed River that runs through Guelph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto Ribfest</span>

Toronto Ribfest is an annual ribfest held in Centennial Park in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the Canada Day weekend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississauga Celebration Square</span>

Celebration Square is a 290,000 square foot outdoor civic centre, park and amphitheatre located on City Centre Drive in Mississauga, Ontario. The project was first announced to begin construction in 2007 and completed in 2011. The two firms, CS&P architects and Janet Rosenberg + Associates were responsible for the design and construction of the park. The park was commissioned as a demolition and renovation of the two previous ‘library’ and ‘city hall’ squares in the downtown area of Mississauga. The design features an expansive turf grass field with adjacent amphitheatre, a surrounding stone path, benches, canopies and secondary stage. The square's large water feature becomes ice rink in the winter and doubles as an event space when needed. The project is said to juxtoposition small intimate spaces with large open areas of turf. The transformation has dramatically increased the use of the property for daily civic life.

References

  1. "Burlington est un bijou à découvrir dans le Centre-Sud Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine ." Bonjour Ontario. May 19, 2010.
  2. "Festivals and federal funds. National Post. May 11, 2010
  3. "A finger-lickin' Ribfest ; Ribbing teams from U.S. and Canada compete on Ontario's summer festival circuit". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario. Sep 5, 2001
  4. Burman, John "Burlington expects 150,000 to chow down at RibFest." The Spectator - Hamilton, Ont. Aug 31, 2004.
  5. Burlington Ribfest Identity Redevelopment
  6. Canadian stimulus package funding gigantic ribfest?! . Weightymatters.ca May 18, 2010
  7. 1 2 Fricker, Peter. "Federal funding program has soft spot for rodeos." Vancouver Sun. May 25, 2010
  8. "Contributions et bénéficiaires (2010) Archived 2010-06-16 at the Wayback Machine ." Industrie Canada.
  9. Chouinard, Marie-Andrée. "Financement des festivals - La boîte à surprises." Le Devoir. 15 May 2010
  10. 2009 Sponsorship & Advertising Program Archived 2010-09-18 at the Wayback Machine . CanadasLargestRibfest.com.

43°19′18″N79°47′54″W / 43.3218°N 79.7982°W / 43.3218; -79.7982