The signature smoky scent fills the air during the fifth annual Penticton Ribfest.
Five trophy winners — Prairie Smoke & Spice BBQ, Boss Hog’s, Gator BBQ, Misty Mountain and Smoke and Bones — returned to Okanagan Lake Park to compete for best ribs, people’s choice and best sauce.
“The money is great and it’s good to give back to the community, but if you look around there isn’t a miserable person here,” said Barb Hoolaeff, organizer.
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For the ribbers, barbecue isn’t just a meal, it’s a way of life.
“I have been doing this for 23 years,” said Chad Cannon of Boss Hog’s BBQ.
“We are based out of London, Ontario, but I barely see home. We are living out of suitcases four months a year.”
But to Cannon and his team, the time away from home is well worth it.
“We want the people out here voting on us. If you win from the judges, you get five or six judges that judge racks we work two hours on. These are all the V.I.Ps; they are the people standing out in our line.”
Cannon said the secret to award-winning barbecue is simple.
“The secret is the love, the rub and the God above. It’s the perfect mixture of it all,” said Cannon.
With the festival ending on Monday, July 1 at 11 p.m., barbecue lovers still have a chance to get one more meal under their belts.
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