Rock, Ribs and Ridges festival returns to Sussex County in June. Here are the details
A weekend of rock music and prize-winning ribs from regional restaurants is returning to the Sussex County Fairgrounds for the annual Rock, Ribs and Ridges Festival from June 23 to 25.
Sponsored by Franklin Sussex Auto Mall, the festival will feature top legends of Southern rock such as the Artimus Pyle Band, 38 Special and Blackberry Smoke for the 13th-annual music and barbecue festival. Among other acts are the Devon Allman Project, Samantha Fish featuring Jesse Dayton and Dead on Live, which covers Grateful Dead favorites.
The "ribs" portion of the festival will include top pitmasters competing in juried competitions for “Best Ribs,” “Best Sauce” and “People’s Choice Awards.” Among early confirmed restaurants are Cowboys BBQ, from Fort Worth, Texas; Jim's Smokin' Que from Pittsburg and New Jersey favorites, Bucks BBQ, from Phillipsburg and Kimchi Smoke from Westwood. In addition to entering the competition, the restaurants will also be selling ribs, pulled pork, brisket and barbecue chicken with classic sides to the public.
The promoters are offering discounts on gate prices for advanced ticket sales at rockribsandridges.com. In addition to general admission and VIP admission, there is also the opportunity for RVers and campers to spend the weekend adjacent to the festival area at the Fairgrounds. For those staying on-site, perks include a campers-only concert Saturday night featuring Preacher Stone and Friends, 24-hour access to restrooms and showers and a Sunday Morning Breakfast Get Together. RV Passes are on a first-come, first-sold basis.
In addition to general admission and VIP shaded reserved-seat passes, there is also group table seating in the Miller Mezzanine on Friday and Saturday which are available for reservations.
The performance schedule, subject to change, has the doors opening at 6 p.m. on Friday with Dead on Live taking the stage at 7:15 p.m. followed at 8:30 p.m. by Artimus Pyle Band.
The Saturday schedule has doors open at noon with Matt Coffy Band taking the stage at 1 p.m. followed by Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown at 2:15 p.m.; The Weight Band at 3:45 p.m.; and Devon Allman Project at 5:30 p.m. and ending with 38 special at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday performances and times are: Sugar Mountain at 1 p.m.; Preacher Stone at 2:30 p.m.; Samantha Fish Ft. Jesse Dayton at 4:30 p.m. and Blackberry Smoke at 6:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Rock, Ribs and Ridges festival at Sussex Fairgrounds returns
