RibFest expected to fill bellies galore while raising needed funds for BBBS

By Jeremy Appel on August 21, 2018.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel

Medicine Hat Big Brothers Big Sisters is hosting its second annual RibFest from Friday to Sunday outside the Medicine Hat Mall, and is expecting to raise even more than the inaugural event.

Holly Stadnicki, executive director of the local Big Brothers Big Sisters, says an “innovative” fundraiser was sought last year to attract locals and raise funds for the group’s programming.

That event grossed about $44,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters, while Stadnicki said this year’s is on pace for $76,000.

Big Brothers Big Sisters reached out last year to RibFest, a national organization, which were very interested in expanding its reach into Western Canada.

“They’d been doing it for 25 years in Eastern Canada but hadn’t branched into the West too much,” said Stadnicki.

“These ribbers travel from across Canada … These guys are professionals and they produce barbecued chicken, ribs, pulled pork — they’ll do pork or beef ribs … anything that you want barbecued.”

You won’t be able to miss the event’s four food trucks — each 35 feet long and 30 feet wide, with signs protruding 30-40 feet in the air.

There will be smaller trucks offering lemonade, ice cream, blooming onions and other snacks, as well as live music.

Admission is free and attendees pay for what they eat.

“What we recommend to people is come with your friends, one person stand in one line of each of the trucks, get it all together, put it on the table and everybody sample everything,” said Stadnicki.

RibFest is an attractive fundraiser, because everybody enjoys some good barbecue, she said.

“It’s family friendly. Who doesn’t love ribs? We try to put it in a central location so everybody can come and enjoy,” Stadnicki said.

“Everybody leaves happy and with full bellies.”

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