Sjoerd Witteveen
Mayor Frank Scarpitti digs into lunch during a Wednesday media conference to promote Markham Ribfest & Music Festival July 11, 12 and 13. Chowing down with him are festival chairperson Rick Firth, and Bruce McMeekin, president of the Rotary Club Markham Sunrise, which organized the ribfest at Markham Fairgrounds.
Markham
July 05, 2008 10:00 PM
By: Simone Joseph
It took ribs to get Rick Firth involved in the Markham community.
He moved from Toronto in 1998 and was looking for something to sink his teeth into, so to speak.
Mr. Firth had been a volunteer in Toronto, had many contacts there, but few in his new home.
That changed after he joined the Rotary Club of Markham Sunrise in 2006.
This year, Mr. Firth is chairperson of The Markham Ribfest & Music Festival next Friday to Sunday at Markham Fairgrounds.
The York Region Media Group, which includes The Economist & Sun, sponsors this event and organized the YRMG Kid’s Zone, which features rides and booths.
Ribs are, of course, a main feature. Ribfest fans will consume about 22,000 pounds of ribs, Mr. Firth said.
Sunday is family day, so entrance is free and the music is geared to children in the afternoon.
Mr. Firth’s favourite part of the weekend is watching judges pick the best ribs and sauce.
“It is fun watching them try to decide between the nuances. It is hard to decide. It is the best of the best,” Mr. Firth said.
Many of these rib conveyors spend the summer travelling a circuit of Ontario ribfests.
That said, Markham’s event features lots of other food options, including South Asian, chicken, ice cream and yogurt, corn on the cob, yams, hamburgers, hot dogs, funnel cakes, popped corn, perogies, cabbage rolls, chicken fingers, burgers, smoothies and fries.
A range of music will be performed from blues to rock to folk, including six-time Juno award winner Colin James.
“We’ve gone from well-known acts around Ontario to Colin James, well known internationally,” Mr. Firth said.
Free parking is available for more than 8,000 vehicles.
No pets are allowed on the fairgrounds.
Admission Friday, (5 to 10:30 p.m.) is $20 at the gate. On Saturday (11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.), the cost is $10 after 5 p.m. Admission is free on Sunday (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Children younger than 16 enter free all weekend.The fairgrounds are at McCowan and Elgin Mills roads.
The Colin James show, from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, is a rain or shine event.
Go to
www.markhamrotary.com for more on the Rotary Club of Markham Sunrise.
Check
www.markhamribfest.com for the latest event details.