Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

BBQ

Which ribs? 12th annual Rotary Daybreak Kamloops Ribfest back at Riverside Park

Aug 11, 2023 | 3:48 PM

KAMLOOPS — Ribbers are stoking fires and getting smoky in preparation for the 12th annual Kamloops Rotary Daybreak Ribfest. But how do you know which ribs to pick?

“It’s all coming down to the rub and the sauces on the rib,” ‘BBQ’ Brian Misko of House of Q and Prairie Smoke says. “They all taste differently. And also, the quality of the cook – if the cook know what they’re doing in the pit.”

It can be a little overwhelming to try and decide just which ribs to get. There are banners touting the accomplishments of each crew, and the ribbers try to entice each customer to try their ribs. Hardware can also be one way to pick which ribs might be the tastiest.

“I always say look for the people that have the most trophies on the table, even though we’ve left most of our trophies at home,” Frank Bavaro, with Gator BBQ suggests. “Just try everybody. Try a little sauce. Everybody has sauce on their tables and we encourage everyone to go around and try the sauce. Then you pick your favourite at that point.”

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Early on, folks seemed keen on sampling the goods from all the different ribbers.

“We decided to go for Grizzly BBQ today,” one fest-goer explained. “We tried the sauces from the competitors and they just didn’t stack up.”

“We got the ribs from Boss Hogs,” another lunchtime attendant says. “They’re wonderful. They’re nice and sweet and they’re thick.”

“That one right there. Prairie Smoke,” one couple told CFJC Today. “Delicious.”

With close to 30,000 unique visits to the park expected over the three days of Ribfest, and as many as 80,000 total visitors over the course of the weekend, these crews will be plenty busy.

“I say we’re one great big dysfunctional family, and we all get along great,” Bavaro says. “Everybody helps each other out, we help with promoting each other’s business, with swapping supplies. It’s amazing, it’s absolutely a lot of fun.”

While some folks make multiple trips to the park to make sure they try all the rib options, there’s a way to maximize one trip down so you don’t miss out.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

“I’m going to say most people come as a group. Every once in a while you get a couple,” ‘BBQ’ Brian says. “Even if you come as a couple, find a group and divide up and go to a bunch of different ribbers. Get their stuff and then find a table where you can share and have a sample of each of it.”

However, there’s a good chance there’s no wrong answer when it comes to ribs.