New at this year’s festival was the “recycle” theme. After Caron got her platter of baked beans, coleslaw, ribs, pulled pork and chicken (we start off every year with this sampler) she pointed out the fact that not only were the containers not the plastic ones from last year, the utensils were also environmentally friendly. It seems that this year all the vendors had to serve their food in biodegradable containers and the disposable knives and forks were all made from a sort of compressed wood. Picture a Popsicle stick made into a fork. However, they were just as strong as the plastic version that’s so bad for our environment.

Not only were the containers and utensils good for the environment, instead of having garbage bins they set up (see pic below) recycling stations where you could take your used containers and food scraps. Here the volunteer staff would separate everything and put them into designated containers to be processed (kinda like the green bin program we have in Ontario).

Kudos to the organizers for implementing this step to show that we care about our environment.

Parking / Crowd.

There were no exceptions as far as parking was concerned. With the thousands of people coming into Burlington for the event, we went knowing that parking will be difficult to find. We lucked out and found a couple spots about 2 blocks away. The owners of a variety store were selling spots for $10 a car and with people coming and going all day (all weekend) I’m sure they made a killing.

Walking from the lot were we parked to the actual event site at Spencer Smith park, we could tell that this year would be even bigger than previous years (plus the weather was beautiful so many people were coming out to make full use of the beautiful skies) with all the people going and coming back to the site. As we approached the gate, our thoughts were confirmed. The place was packed and there was a huge line to get in, but there was a good flow to things. The same amount of people that were flooding in were matched by the number of people stuffed with BBQ goodness leaving. The venue itself was crowded at the front and near the stage (see pics below), but in the middle was enough place to move around a bit freely.

The Q!

Seems the theme this year as far as sauces go was savory sweet! We tried several of the different BBQ sauces that were featured at many of the grillers. I’m not sure if they changed their sauces or were experimenting with new stuff, but we found them all to be very sweet and lacked any true flavour or notes. We even tested the “hot” option at the “Carolina” booth and to be quite honest, I was expecting a prescription saying how much I should take and when, with each dose. It had a sort of medicine taste to it. Was it me or did I need to consume a few beers for everything to taste the way I/we expected?

Best!

Once again the “Boss Hogs” booth provided the best ribs, chicken and pulled pork. However their baked beans didn’t have that same bang as it did last year and had a bit of a “gritty” texture to them. And though there was a huge line to purchase, the staff were very efficient and within 5-10 minutes you had your order and were ready to dig in.

Disappointing!

The most disappointing Q of the day must go to the “Texas” grill. No wonder there was a short line and I was served so fast. Everyone else knew what I didn’t. From their sweet sauce, very small portions (I got a hacked piece of chicken breast that needed a Hollywood type implant to be seriously taken to be a breast) and ribs that were so overdone, the meat was hard to peel away from the bones. Made for a very chewy experience. Their pulled pork had some potential, but with the soup type amount of BBQ sauce it was sitting in made it very difficult to appreciate.

The Carolina grill was the most unorganized set-up at this year’s event. You’d figure with the HUGE line that greeted you, you’d think that these guys were serving up the best Q at the event. NOPE! They were just “glacier” type slow. While my sister waited in line we had enough time to go to 2 different booths (stay in line and get served), come back and eat our entire platters and still had to wait 1/2 an hr for her. Must be some good Q to make people wait this long? Yes and NO. The pork ribs were excellent, but these grillers should not be allowed near beef ribs again. Not only did the beef ribs have a gamy taste to them, they were bland and depended on the bbq sauce to add any sort of enjoyment to them.

NOTE: Reheating the ribs, pulled pork etc may sound like a good idea at the time when you get that take out package, but you’ll be kicking yourself if you reheat it in a microwave. Why didn’t I eat them fresh off the grill? They become very dry and the meat becomes very stringy.

For full directions to the annual Burlington Ribfest, event information like opening and closing times, things to do for the kids and the list of live musical acts, visit the original post I made about the Burlington Rotary Ribfest.

If you’re looking for something you can do with your family the last long weekend of the summer, you must consider attending this annual event in Burlington, Ontario. Free to get it, free entertainment, good food for the most part and well organized. You  may have some issues with parking, but with the constant flow of people, you’re sure to find a spot if you show a little patience or have some luck as we did.

Note: It may sound like a good idea to bring your new born or toddler with you, after all you can stick them in a stroller and wheel them around. Not so much! Not only will you find it difficult to navigate the crowds with the strollers, the smoke and loudness of the event will not be something you’ll want to have your child experience. Make it a date night and get a baby sitter!

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Without any doubt, there is merit to this claim. At the end of last summer I had the opportunity to finally attend the Burlington Ribfest and to this day I still get mad at myself for taking this long to attend. I won’t get into much details at this point, since I plan on refreshing my mind and taste buds this year, which means a full review for you with pics and videos. Hopefully I can get Caron and one of our girls to give their thoughts as well so you’ll have different perspectives of the event. Until then I’d like to leave you with some pics, more info about the event and my assurance that you DON’T want to miss this year’s event.

The people, the music and the food are all incredible… so lets hope the weather holds out so I can devour some more of that puled pork, bbq ribs and that wonderful southern baked beans. BTW, you’ll never attend a more organized event in Southern Ontario.

How much does it cost to get into the Burlington Ribfest?

As far as I can remember it’s been free and after checking on their official website I can assure you that it’s FREE!

When is the Burlington Ribfest?

The Burlington Ribfest is now in it’s 14th year and will be held Labour Day weekend in Burlington Ontario on the waterfront at Spencer Smith Park. (see below for a map and full driving directions)

Who will be at the Burlington Ribfest?

Eighteen of North Americas best “Ribber” will be bringing their grills, their award winning  sauces and tons of meat for the grill. All you have to do is bring your appetite and wet towels to clean your face.

Live Performances at 2009 Burlington Ribfest.

* Friday night is kicked off by world renowned songwriter and local musician Tom Wilson.
* Saturday night double header is kick started by “The Kings” (This Beat Goes On, Switchin to Glide) and followed up by “The Spoons” (Romantic Traffic, Tell no Lies).
* Sunday night is fired up by a long time supporter of Ribfest, the legendary “Downchild’s Blues Band”.

Full Schedule:

How to get to the Burlington Ribfest?

View Larger Map

Parking was pretty much left to doing what you can on the streets, except there was the option to park very close to the venue, with a $5 charge (per visit) that we were told went to some sort of charity. It being as hot as it was and the fact that the surrounding streets were already jam-packed, we opted for the paid parking.

It was a very vibrant atmosphere as we made our way into the venue, with people streaming and and out. One of the first things you’ll notice is the huge ferris wheel and the amusement park area they have set up for kids. After an experience we had  a few years back at another park with these temporary rides that move from town to town, we no longer opt for taking these rides. But I’m sure the people who were at this part of the venue, had fun. Though they had to pay for the tickets, as expected.

No entry fee. Like the Ribfest that’s held across the bay in Burlington, the Wingfest was free to enter. It being a wonderful sunny day, it seems everyone was in a good mood and having a great time. When you see fellas with beer bellies walking around with their shirts off, you know people are in a good mood. The lines at some of the places serving wings were quite long and the food and beer tents were also packed. I think people were just happy to get out of the sun for a bit and cool down with a cold beverage and sticky wings. I do hope the long lines meant good wings.

The event was well staffed as far as I can tell. There was a police presence and there was a station for medical attention if that was ever required. (great job organizers).

We were probably there a bit too early in the day, but there was a stage set up, so I assume there was live performers later in the day and into the night. With these tough economic times, a free concert is always good. I also believe (again we were too early) there was a fireworks show at night.

Areas for some improvement?

Promotion. The people I spoke too (not at the event) knew nothing about this event, even though this in not the first year for staging it. Better job can be done with marketing or maybe the organizers are hoping for the guests this to spread the word?

Location. Unlike with Ribfest in Burlington where the backdrop is very nice, this event is held at a location that a bit too industrial looking. And when you did walk out to the water front area..don’t look to the right – the steel plants are there and not all that pleasant to look at. The organizers good do a much better job at finding a nicer location. Somewhere that showcases the natural beauty of Hamilton. A grassy area at least?

The Food. Well, the wing options were plenty, but to be honest I did not make a purchase. The wings all seemed like the same wherever you went, wings with some sauce or the other on it. Would be nice to see people trying different techniques in the preparation, as they all looked grilled and bath in sauces as I mentioned before. Where were the dusted, the deep fried with breading and the other ways you can cook wings?

Caron and Indy had some of the fresh cut fries that were served at the “Hutches” booth since all the onion rings at the event was sold out, as well as the nachos at the “Hooters” booth. Both items got full marks, especially the sort of spiced cheese that came on top of the nacho plate. Price-wise, it what’s expected at these type of events. The container of fries were $4 and the nachos were $5 (there wasn’t any salsa or beef on the nachos). Oh the wings… 1/2 LB was $5 and $10/lb at the places were I did poke my head in to see what the wings looked like.

Judging from the long lines at some wing stalls, there seems to be some favorites and my guess it’s due to the sauces they used at those booths or how big the display signs were that advertised the booth.

Why didn’t I make a purchase? I love me some good wings, but I really didn’t see or smell (BTW, how the heck there wasn’t a mouth watering scent at this park?) anything that looked appealing to me. The closest I came to making a purchase was the “sweet chili heat” ones I saw as it was a bit intriguing, but the pale colour of the cooked wing turned me off, though it was covered in that chili bbq sauce. I’m very visual with my food and I like some clour on my cooked meats.. golden brown from frying or grill marks would be nice.

Overall not a bad experience for my first time at the Wingfest. With some marketing and a better location, this event will be one to mark on your calendar to start off the summer season! Maybe next year I’ll grab me some wings?

Enjoy the pics and be sure to leave me your comments in the area provided below.

Almost forgot to mention… Art at a Wingfest? There was a huge tent (display) area with artwork at the Wingfest, but I just couldn’t connect to two – art and wings!

Date / Location: June 12th and go on until Sunday, June 14th at Pier 8, 47 Discovery Drive, Hamilton, Ontario.

For more information, please contact event co-ordinator, Julia by email at specialevents@hamiltonwaterfront.com or by phone at (905) 525-4498.

The History of Hamilton Wingfest

In late 2007 a movement began to bring the Wingfest phenomenon to Hamilton. Our city is a natural site for such an endeavor: Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla pointed out that Hamilton is the one of the first Canadian cities to offer chicken wings.

On December 19, three Hamilton councillors, backed by the Hamilton Waterfront Trust, challenged the mayor of Buffalo, NY, to a “chicken wing showdown”, as it was termed in the December 20 issue of The Spectator. Buffalo is widely recognized as the birthplace of the chicken wing snack, and its proximity to Hamilton resulted in the new culinary creation catching on here before anywhere else in Canada.

Website for the wingfest.

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