The festival, in its fifth year, runs Friday through Sunday and features good music and good eats for children and adults. Organizers expect more than 100,000 people to attend.
Thirteen ribbers are participating this year, some making the trek from as far away as Alabama to tantalize local taste buds. Putting forth their own unique recipes are Camp 31 (Brewton, Alabama), Bad Wolf Barbeque (Toronto), Bibbs BBQ (Naples, Florida), Billy Bones BBQ (Fort Erie), Blazin BBQ (Paincourt), Crabby's BBQ (London), Gator BBQ (Flint, Michigan), Hog's Gone Wild (Barrie), Kentucky Smoke House (London), Silver Bullet (Fort Erie), Turtle Jack's BBQ (Burlington), Uncle Sam's (Albuquerque, New Mexico) and Mississauga's Wylde Fire Ribs.
Opening ceremonies take place Friday at 5 p.m.
"This is truly a family event," said co-chair Wayne Fyffe. "People can come and enjoy the music if that's what attracts them or they come for the ribs while the kids play on the carnival rides."
While entertainment has always been an important aspect of the three-day event, organizers really ramped things up this year. Musicians will rock while people snack on succulent ribs throughout the weekend.
On Friday, the music gets started at noon with the eclectic stylings of Rex Mann. Other acts include Streetsville rock band Daylight for Deadeyes (2:30 p.m.), Texas-style blues act Frank Cosentino Band (5:30 p.m.), The Bluesual Suspects (7:30 p.m.) and Juno Award-winning five-piece band Fathead (9:30 p.m.).
On Saturday, rock band Go Freddie Go gets things rolling at noon and other acts include the Mississauga Academy of Steelband Music (2:30 p.m.), Juno Award-nominated blues and roots artist Julian Fauth (5 p.m.) and Clarkson's Juno Award nominee Johnny Max Band (7:30 p.m.). The evening closes with a performance by Eugene Smith, who toured with Ronnie Hawkins, at 9:30 p.m.
On Sunday, rock and soul act Erin Ford & The Good Life (12:30 p.m.), Mississauga's Chuck Jackson and his four-piece band (2:30 p.m.) and six-piece Cajun band Loco Zydeco (4:30 p.m.) are on tap.
There will also be fun for children, including an inflatable bouncy castle, stilt-walkers, mini-roller coaster, carnival rides, karate demonstrations, Ferris wheel and various games such as wack-a-mole, among others.
Live performances by illusionist Ron Martin (Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.), children's group the Smudge Fundaes (Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.) and Circus Jonathan (Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.) are also scheduled.
Proceeds will be used by the Rotary Clubs of Mississauga to support several local social service agencies and charities.
Ribfest runs Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Sunday from
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Admission is free, although organizers are asking for a freewill donation.
For more information, visit www.mississaugarotaryribfest.com.
cclay@mississauga.net
