Will Haase has traveled thousands of kilometers as the owner of Silver Bullet Bar-B-Q.
But the Tillsonburg resident didn’t have to go far this past weekend. He was one of the vendors at a takeout ribfest that took place from Friday to Sunday at the Tillsonburg Community Centre parking lot – an annual fundraiser for the Tillsonburg Thunder senior men’s hockey team.
“I love barbecue,” said Haase. “I just like traveling around, seeing a different city – or province – because we go coast to coast. We were out west (Calgary) two years ago. We visit many places in Quebec and as far as Nova Scotia … everywhere. Usually our biggest (festivals) are Moncton, New Brunswick, or Sydney, N. S., and Toronto.”
Tillsonburg Ribfest organizers announced last winter that they would be shutting down the event, mainly due to financial reasons. However, they decided to bring it back towards the end of summer.
“We would probably do this again the way it is now,” Mike Holly, president and owner of the Tillsonburg Thunder senior men’s hockey team, said.
The 2020 Ribfest was the first and last show for Gonzalez BBQ this year. (Chris Abbott/Norfolk Tillsonburg News)
Attendance started off a bit slow but picked up during dinner time as hungry customers ordered barbecue ribs, chicken, and pulled pork from the three vendors.
Changes are already being considered for next year’s edition. This year’s takeout-style ribfest did not feature a beer vendor, which helped save money on security, fencing, and licensing.
They want to adjust the live music format for next year by moving the headliner closer to busy dinner hours or going exclusively with local music talent under the tent.
“I would say it was successful for what it is with all the (COVID) guidelines that are in place,” Haase, who owns three trailers and the Smoke House Bandits BBQ food truck, said. “I think obviously there is room for improvement, and I think next year will be better.”
Haase – who has worked in the food industry for 15 years – mentioned that the entire sector has been hit hard by the pandemic.
“It goes down the line. The amount of ribs that we go through affects farmers too. It’s crazy how much impact it’s had. It’s just huge. But you try to make the best of it.”
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Andrea Crowder enjoys ribs from Silver Bullet Bar-B-Q Friday evening at the Tillsonburg Ribfest. (Chris Abbott/Norfolk and Tillsonburg News)
