Will Haase has traveled thousands of kilometres as the owner of Silver Bullet Bar-B-Q.
But the Tillsonburg resident didn’t have to go far this weekend. He was one of the vendors at a takeout ribfest that took place 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 different cities – or provinces – because we go coast to coast. We were out west (Calgary) two years ago. We visit a lot in Quebec and all the way to Nova Scotia … everywhere. Usually our biggest (festivals) are in Moncton, New Brunswick, or Sydney, N. S., and Toronto.”
Tillsonburg Ribfest organizers announced last winter that they were shutting down the event, mainly due to financial issues. However, they decided to bring it back towards the end of summer.
“We would probably do this again in its current format,” Mike Holly, president and owner of the Tillsonburg Thunder senior men’s hockey team, mentioned.
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 guests ordered barbecue ribs, chicken and pulled pork from three vendors.
Changes are already being discussed for next year’s edition. This year’s takeout-style ribfest didn’t have a beer vendor, which saved money on security, fencing and licensing.
The organizers would like to adjust the live music setup next year by moving the headliner closer to dinner hours or focusing solely on local musical talent under the tent.
“I would say it was successful considering all the (COVID) guidelines that are in place,” Haase, who owns three trailers and the Smoke House Bandits BBQ food truck, said. “I think there is definitely room for improvement, and I believe next year will be better.”
Haase – who has been in the food industry for 15 years – shared that COVID-19 has hit everyone hard.
“It goes down the line. The amount of ribs 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)
COVID-19
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