As the booths went up I realized it has been five years since I last was able to participate in the annual Ottawa Ribfest.  I had forgotten just how much I had missed it.

I missed a couple of years because I was living in Germany. Then they canceled it due to the pandemic. Ribfest returned in 2022, but I was traveling and missed it.

While the annual Poutinefest is more in line with my budget, there is something about barbecued ribs. Or chicken for those who don’t like pork. Each booth has its own sauce. Each has won numerous awards. How do you choose?

For me it was easy. On the first day, I  just went to the booth closest to my office. The second day I ate what my host chose. Both were delicious.

I had thought about buying a bottle of sauce to replicate the taste at home, but decided I didn’t want to line up in the heat (33 Celsius) to make my purchase. Maybe next year. Or maybe if I am downtown this weekend.

One good thing about the hot sunny days is that those working the grills probably weren’t any warmer due to the heat and flame. The bad thing is there would have been nowhere for them to cool off.

At lunch hour Sparks Street was packed. The rest of the day there was steady traffic, though not all booths had lineups.

Ribfest continues until Sunday. Check it out on Sparks Street in downtown Ottawa.