By Gazette Staff
August 22nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Canada’s Largest Ribfest will run from Friday, Aug. 29 to Monday, September 1, at Spencer Smith Park.
There is an admission fee of $4 for the general public and $2 for seniors over 65 and teens aged 13 to 18. Free for kids 12 and under.
Ribfest asks for a $4. entry fee (It used to be just $2). If you looked around there was still some sitting room. The weather was close to perfect and the music was good – great way to bring a summer to a close.
An Entry fee to pay for a meal!
And the Sound of Music can’t get itself to the point where they can ask for as little as a twoonie for a weekend of music.
The numbers are huge – the crowds love the event.
Rotary makes a profit and returns those profits to the community. Sound of Music loses money and is close to coming to an end.
Something certainly not in alignment here.
I get it—Ribfest isn’t cheap anymore. But what we are really paying for isn’t just the ribs, it’s the festival atmosphere on the lakefront and the fact that Rotary puts the profits back into our community. If people decide they’d rather go to Montana’s or BBQ at home, that’s the market speaking—and Ribfest will have to adjust. The real question is whether we still value having big community festivals enough to support them at today’s prices.
I’d rather go to Jakes Grill and Oyster House for their “Ribfest”
A friend of mine who was very active in running the Mississauga Ribfest for years told me one of the major expenses was paying time and a half to “off duty” police officers, to stand around, and they also expected to receive free ribs. It is for the community so go, listen to the music and have fun, and let someone do the BBQing for you.
Wow what a terrible comment regarding police officers. Hopefully you never need one to assist you. Typical uneducated comment.
Forget it lousy overpriced & now $4 to get in to buy it. Should rename it Burlingtons Rib Ripoff.
Issues such as the SOM’s current state of affairs are usually solved by starting with a review of those at the top of the pyramid. Followed by taking a close look at their enablers, in this case COB.
This used to be a free Festival. Then it’s $2 then it’s $4 to get in
On top of that you’re paying well over $30 for a rack I think it’s an absolute rip-off
I’d rather just go to any grocery store and I can pick up a rack for between $11 and $15. Come home put the mama barbecue for 20 minutes and I’m done
Yes I know this is for charity but it’s gotten to the point now
Where times are tough and when you’re living on a limited income you can’t afford to spend $40 to go to a festival for and overpriced overcooked rack of ribs
If you have a family of four or more this is an absolute rip-off
I know I’ll be going and buying ribs at the grocery store and bringing them home
A lot of baked potato and some vegetables and I’ll do it for the less than they’re charging for a rack of ribs
No thank you
If people don’t know about this in advance they will be unpleasantly surprised when they arrive. It could cost a family of 4 depending on the age of their children $16.00 to enter Spencer Smith Park to buy overpriced ribs.
Montana’s looking better and better and you get to sit in a restaurant not being swarmed by wasps.
Penny, Penny, Penny ! (No, I’m not invoking Sheldon).
Why are you so negative! It seems you never have anything positive to say.
Maybe Ribfest will include a note of an entry charge in its advertising. Let’s wait and see.
I hope they will have the ability to collect the entry fee electronically.