9+ ribfests and BBQ festivals to try this summer

Ah, ribfests! They’re the sizzle of summer in and around Ottawa. And there are LOTS of them in 2023!

Every town worth its salt (or barbecue sauce) now seems to host a spring or summer rib party. And even ribs don’t float your boat, there’s lots of other fun to be had at these barbecue festivals. There’s usually live music, kids’ activities, and maybe a beer tent or two! Here are some of the BBQ bashes happening in Eastern Ontario and Quebec in 2022. Enjoy!

Cover photo by Scott Madore on Unsplash.

• Barrhaven Ribfest and Poutine (May 19 to 22, 2023): This event will be cooking up a storm at Clarke Fields Park (93 Houlahan Drive).
• Kanata Ribfest and Poutine (May 26 to 28, 2023): This one is happening at the Community Hub (373 Legget Drive).
• Ottawa Ribfest (May 31 to June 1, 2023): The Sparks Street Mall will likely be packed end-to-end with carnivores for this popular event, which usually attracts ribbers from across North America.
• Longueuil Ribfest (June 2 to 4, 2023): A kids’ zone and lots of live music feature prominently at this festival in Greenfield Park (195 Empire Street).
• Smiths Falls Ribfest (June 23 to 25, 2023): This festival includes live music and kids’ activities, and it will be in a new location the year—Lower Reach Park (Old Slys Road).

• 1000 Islands Family Ribfest, Gananoque (June 30 to July 2, 2023): This long weekend celebration takes place at the Lou Jeffries Arena (600 King Street East).
• Optimist Club of Cornwall Ribfest (July 27 to 30, 2023): This four-day festival in Lamoureux Park (100 Water Street East) features lots of ribbers, a midway and plentiful live music.
• Brockville Ribfest (August 10 to 13, 2023): Head to Hardy Park (across from 80 Water Street West) in this city on the St. Lawrence for a kids’ zone, live music, a Ribfest Idol singing competition, a beer tent and lots of food. It’s a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
• Halal Ribfest, Ottawa (August 11 to 13): This event at Lansdowne Park will include a kids’ zone, buskers, street food, vendors, bouncy castles, live music and more.
• Montreal RibFest (August 18 to 20): This big event in Pierrefonds benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of West Island and features world music.
• Kingston Ribfest and Craft Beer Show (September 8 to 10): This festival in Memorial Centre Park (303 York Street) features chicken and ribs, craft beer, live entertainment, and a kids’ fun zone. Donations to the Partners in Mission Food Bank are appreciated.

Did I miss your favourite barbecue festival? Let me know about other ribfests in the comments! (And if you like ribfests, you may just be interested in local poutine festivals, too.)

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.

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