General News
Orangeville Ribfest celebrates community, flavour and friendship
July 23, 2026 · 0 Comments
Orangeville Rotary Ribfest welcomed an estimated 20,461 visitors over three days, despite rainy weather on Saturday, while raising a preliminary $55,000 to $60,000 for community initiatives.
Organizers said more than 8,300 people attended on Saturday alone, while strong crowds on Friday and Sunday helped make the 2026 festival one of the most successful to date.
This year’s competition winners included Fatboys Southern Smokehouse, which earned the Judges’ Choice award for Best Ribs; Boss Hog’s BBQ, which took home the Judges’ Choice award for Best Sauce; and Jack the Ribber, which won the People’s Choice award.
Rotary organizers thanked the hundreds of volunteers, sponsors, patrons, rib teams, food vendors and performers who contributed to the event’s success.
Organizer Ingrid Sproxton said the event is about much more than food.
“Ribfest is so much more than great food and entertainment,” she said. “It’s a celebration of community, friendship, and the remarkable things we can accomplish when people come together.”
Sproxton added that “every volunteer, every sponsor, every patron, every ribber, every vendor, and every performer played an important role in making this year’s event one of our best yet, despite the weather on Saturday.”
Organizers said they are already looking ahead to next year’s event, which is scheduled for July 16 to 18, 2027.
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