Drive-thru format for this weekend’s Rotary Ribfest

By Jensen, Randy on September 16, 2020.

Rib master "Bubba" prepares ribs on the grill at Pistol Pete's Oklahoma Smokehouse during last year's Rotary RibFest. This year's event will be held in a drive-thru format at the Enmax Centre this weekend. Herald file photo by Tim Kalinowski

Tim Kalinowski

Lethbridge Herald

tkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com

Get out your specialty bibs and get ready for the taste experience of the summer as Rotary Ribfest opens on Friday at the Enmax Centre parking lot.

“We are really excited for the event,” says Rotary Ribfest co-chair Kaela Corazza. “We have a whole new plan that will follow all COVID policies. This is a drive-thru event, and we have 160 volunteers coming out to make sure this flows smoothly.”

Corraza says the process they will be using has been used on other phases of the Ribfest tour already in other communities this summer, and it has proven to work well with very short wait times.

“Once you turn into the Enmax you will be given a menu that will have all four of the ribbers on it,” she explains. “So you can plan ahead, and you will be guided to the area where you can choose whether you want to go to one, two, three or four. You will get your ribs and then you will be able to go park and eat. Or you can take them and go.”

Those who choose to park and eat will have access to the event sponsors’ corner, and will be treated to some tunes spun by a live DJ.

“We want to make it entertaining,” says Corazza. “We don’t want it so you are just sitting in your car. Everyone gets excited when Ribfest comes to town. I feel like because in previous years we had the beer gardens, and there were bands, and there were more opportunities to socialize, it may be a little bit different (experience) this year. In the end, though, people are there to get their meat-sweat on; so any way we can provide that, I guess.”

Part of the proceeds from Ribfest will support local Rotarians’ charitable efforts both in Lethbridge and abroad. So not only can you fill your belly, says Corrazo, you can also feel good about supporting a good cause.

“Rotary does fantastic things locally and internationally,” she states. “One of our most recent projects is we donated $100,000 to Big Brothers and Big Sisters here in Lethbridge. There are lots of different things we do, and that’s what is going to happen with Ribfest. We are going to raise the money and share with the community.

“So I would just say trust the process, support local and come fill your belly.”

Corrazo says they are still looking for about 40 more volunteers to help out this weekend. Email Brenda Eaglesham if interested at brenda@eaglesham.ca.

Rotary Ribfest starts Friday at 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and continues through the weekend.

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