Wet weather fails to dampen spirits at Ribfest on Sunday

Steady rain throughout the night and morning in Greater Sudbury gave way to cloudy – but dry – weather Sunday afternoon, which meant it was safe to return to Ribfest.

And return Sudburians did, with hundreds of people in line by 3 p.m. for food, or already chowing down on ribs, pulled pork and chicken, listening to live music along a section of Elgin Street downtown, closed again to traffic this year for the three-day festival.

“Ribs!” laughed Emily Lauzon, when asked why she and her family braved the wet weather to drive all the way from Timmins for the festival.

“I have family here, too,” she said, wiping BBQ sauce from her fingers with a napkin. “We wanted to come and visit before the summer was over, so this was really the last chance.”

Held in support of the Red Cross, this is the seventh year for the event in Greater Sudbury. Six award-winning ribbers were on hand, and Ribfest this year featured a children's area and a merchandise village, in addition to live music.

It wraps up today (Sunday) at 6 p.m.