By Shaun Penner

Drive-Thru Ribfest

Ribfest returning to Grande Prairie as drive-thru event

Jul 28, 2020 | 12:07 PM

Ribfest will be returning to Grande Prairie next month, but it will be looking a little bit different than last year’s event.

As the Western Canada Ribfest Tour is slated to make a stop in the Swan City from August 14 to 16, this year’s festival has been planned as a drive-thru event due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizer Andrew Reinhardt, who owns Billy’s BBQ and is one of four ribbers who will be in town for the event, says all plans meet Alberta Health Services protocols.

“The way it works is a drive-in event, where they’ll drive in one location on the street and they’ll pick their ribber,” said Reinhardt. “Everything is done by iPad, it’s sent to the rib truck and then they pick it up just like a drive thru window. So, you don’t have to leave your car.”

The Grande Prairie stop will be the second of seven slated for the tour in Alberta, which will start in Medicine Hat on August 7.

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Reinhardt says these events also won’t be their first attempt at a drive-thru festival as they have already run two drive-thrus in Ontario this summer. That includes one on Canada Day in the City of Burlington.

“It was a great turnout. We saw over 3500 cars go through in one day. So, we’re pretty excited about it.”

Three of the four ribbers attending this year’s event were in the Swan City last year, including Billy’s BBQ, Buckeye BBQ and Pistol Pete’s. The ribbers known as Camp 31 will also be set up at the event.

Reinhardt says due to the scaled down version of this year’s festival, they will not be partnering with the Rotary Club like in 2019. However, he does say they will be working together again in 2021.

He adds they will be looking to raise money for other community organizations.

“We’re just excited for the opportunity and I know all the cities right now are looking for something to do, so this is a safe event that we feel people will be able to enjoy and hopefully, at the same time, we can raise some money for the community as well.”

The festival will go at Revolution Place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday the 16.