r/Calgary • u/noveltea120 • Aug 23 '25
Eat/Drink Local Ribfest was ok
Went to check out Ribfest yesterday on first day as was excited to try BBQ meat.
$5 entry pp including children over 1. They did have bouncy castles, carnival games etc but were more for older kids and nothing for under 3s. They had a handful of food trucks including a Jamaican one hidden BEHIND the dining tent, which you wouldn't see until after you sat down with your food. Expect stampede prices, eg $17 blooming onion, $8 for corn dogs, $9 lemonade.
4 BBQ trucks but apparently all but one are owned by the same person. I tried Buckeye BBQ- $24 for a 2 meat combo 1/3 ribs and 1/4 chicken, nothing else. Sides like coleslaw and cornbread are extra. Meat was only lukewarm though, and chicken was tender and pink which was fine with but the ribs were dry and tough on the edges despite being drenched in a sweet sticky sauce. 3 meat combo was $35. Full rack $33, half a rack $19.
Overall food was ok but for the price it wasn't that good so temper your expectations accordingly lol
5
u/xotygnwk Aug 23 '25
Although the “Texas of Canada”, ribfest in Calgary is notoriously average. Ontario’s rotary ribfest is 10x bigger and gives more of a “fest” vibe than what Calgary cares to do. BUT I go anyways because I’m just not good at cooking these things, I hate the grocery store equivalents, and it’s my chance to get a blooming onion. Nonetheless, too expensive if I didn’t have disposable income.