Luis Santoyo
Twelve years ago, the Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar had a grand idea to host a Ribfest in town. Grand idea? Absolutely. We didn’t have a fund-raising event like this in town, ever.
So, to put this grand idea into play, the club went to work, and it took months, weeks, days and many people hours of negotiating, planning, organizing, and finally setting up this mammoth event. We learned very quickly that hosting this yearly event in town would require ‘all hands-on board’ every year. Hence, our call for local volunteers to help make the event a success……and they did. Without the help of volunteers, we could not have grown and raised more money each year to support local community organizations.
2020 – the year when the world went into quarantine – COVID - made certain that all forms of outdoor entertainment involving groups of people never happened. But this didn’t deter our club from creating a ‘drive-through’ Ribfest in 2021 and the year after, 2022. To our club’s delight, Oakvillians were very happy to pick up their rib orders via a drive-through set-up, and our club was happy to continue hosting the Ribfest event.
This year, 2023, the Oakville Family Ribfest is back in town. And it will be the first time that three (3) service clubs in town – Knights of Columbus Marian Council 3881, Oakville Lions Club and the Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar have joined forces to host the Oakville Family Ribfest.
The Ribfest is going to be the most fun place to meet friends and family at the end of July, where you can share ribs, have a drink or two and listen to some fabulous band music and dance a little, if you wish.
The fun fair will be open for all to enjoy the rides, while the kid’s area will provide a fun spot for kids to be kids. If ribs aren’t your ‘thing,’ there will be other food vendors that will tickle your taste buds. And all the while, you’ll be entertained by ‘live band’ music and smell the ribs sizzling on the bar-b-cues is coming to town.
Dates: July 28 to 30
Location: Sheridan College, Oakville.
Entry fee: Just $5. (free for kids 8 and under).
FREE PARKING
All proceeds go to charity
As you drive north or south on Trafalgar Road in mid-July, you will see the eponymous ferris wheel being erected in the fun fair, tents being set up, and volunteers working away to get Ribfest set up once again. Check us out: www.oakvillefamilyribfest.com
