Canal Winchester: Blues & Ribfest makes successful return after two-year absence

Scott Gerfen
·2 min read
Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockers performs during the Blues & Ribfest. An estimated 35,000 attended the event, which was July 29-30. For more photos, visit ThisWeekNEWS.com.
Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockers performs during the Blues & Ribfest. An estimated 35,000 attended the event, which was July 29-30. For more photos, visit ThisWeekNEWS.com.

Measuring the success of the Canal Winchester Blues & Ribfest was easy for Mayor Mike Ebert, who watched visitors from near and far descend on the city July 29-30 to satisfy their appetites for live music and barbecued ribs.

Large crowds returned after the event was canceled for the past two summers because of COVID-19 health restrictions.

“I’m not sure if it was a record-breaking crowd or not, but I can say the crowd came early Friday and it seemed like they all stayed until it closed down at 11 p.m.,” Ebert said. “The lines were as long as I have ever seen them in previous years, and I heard one or two vendors ran out of some products before the festival ended Saturday night.”

Colton Rebel flips the ribs at Big Pappy's BBQ during the Canal Winchester Blues & Ribfest on July 29. Big Pappy’s won the festival’s Rib Master Showdown and the People’s Choice Award.
Colton Rebel flips the ribs at Big Pappy's BBQ during the Canal Winchester Blues & Ribfest on July 29. Big Pappy’s won the festival’s Rib Master Showdown and the People’s Choice Award.

Destination: Canal Winchester, which organizes the Blues & Ribfest, estimated attendance at more than 35,000.

The festival has grown each year since starting in 2010 with free, live entertainment on two stages, more than two dozen food vendors, a large beer garden and a kids’ area.

“It was fun to bring it back and wonderful to see the crowds loving the food, loving the music,” Destination: Canal Winchester Executive Director Karen Stiles said. “People were saying, ‘This is awesome; we’re finally all back together.’”

Marilyn and Drew Gelatt enjoy some ribs July 29. Patrons were able to choose from four rib masters.
Marilyn and Drew Gelatt enjoy some ribs July 29. Patrons were able to choose from four rib masters.

The entertainment – which this year included main-stage acts Mike Zito, Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockers, Carlise Guy and the NuBlu Band on July 29, and Davy Knowles, Ghost Town Blues Band, Skyla Burrell and Sam Shepherd Band on July 30 – draws fans from all over the country and Canada.

“I talked to a man who came all the way from New York to see Mike Zito, and he said, ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this for free,”’ Stiles said.

Zito ended up performing both days after headliner Joanna Connor cancelled her performance due to illness.

Positive tests for COVID-19 also forced organizers to replace three vendors at the last minute, Stiles said.

Patrons were able to choose food made by four rib masters: Desperado’s BBQ (Hinkley), Big Pappy’s BBQ (Howard), Off the Bone BBQ (Columbus) and Carolina Rib King (Spartanburg, South Carolina).

Big Pappy’s won the festival’s Rib Master Showdown and the People’s Choice Award.

The festival also featured a variety of food trucks, such as Amish Donuts, which sold out; Schmidt’s Sausage Truck; Maugers’ Mini Donuts; Bubba’s Shaved Ice; Bubble Buzz tea and more.

“It was great seeing people enjoy themselves once again,” Ebert said.  “When you shut something down for two years, you hope people will return upon reopening. Well, they did.”

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Canal Winchester: Blues & Ribfest makes successful return after two-year absence