The Ultimate Guide to Cornwall Ribfest 2022

July 16, 2022

Concerts, carnival rides, artisans, food vendors and, of course, ribs. Cornwall Ribfest is back in a big way, and just in time to celebrate its 10th anniversary!

After staging a drive-thru event in 2020 and a modified festival in 2021 on account of the pandemic, Cornwall’s biggest summer festival returns in full force this year to beautiful Lamoureux Park. The four-day event kicks off on Thursday, July 21st and runs through Sunday, July 24th.

“We’re excited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Ribfest with the traditional event that residents and visitors have come to know and love,” said Terry Muir, President of the Optimist Club of Cornwall, the driving force behind the festival.

In addition to the fantastic entertainment lineup, visitors can enjoy a kids zone, a huge midway, a beer garden and other activities to go along with the ribs, chicken and pulled pork that will be served up in large quantities. There will be a variety of other food and non-food vendors on site, including many new ones to go along with all of the old favourites (yes, we’re talking about you, mini donuts and blooming onions).

Have questions about Ribfest? We’ve got you covered with our Ultimate Guide to Cornwall Ribfest. Read on below for everything you need to know and start building up your appetite!

See you in the park!

Please note: Every effort is made to ensure the information contained here is accurate however activities can change. Readers are encouraged to consult directly with the Cornwall Ribfest website and Facebook page for the latest details and updates related to the event.

Ribfest days and times

Cornwall Ribfest kicks off on Thursday, July 21st and runs through Sunday, July 24th.

There is no entry fee for Ribfest.

Ribbers’ Row

This year’s Ribfest will feature four all-star ribbers – Crabby’s, Ribs Royale, Fat Boys and Mississippi Smoke House. The ribbers will be serving up their mouth-watering food from 11 am to 11 pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 11 am to 7 pm on Sunday.

There will be ATMs on site but it’s probably a good idea to have cash on hand.

Other vendors

Visitors can enjoy a variety of other foods ranging from ice cream and mini donuts to blooming onions and more. There will also be some local favourites on hand like Sip N’ Scoop, The Happy Popcorn Co., Thum’s Kitchen, Weenies on Wheels and more!

Midway

All Canadian Entertainment is back for the midway and there will be more than a dozen carnival rides and games set up for festivalgoers to enjoy.

The midway will run from 4 pm to close on Thursday, 11 am to close on Friday and Saturday and 11 am to closing time on Sunday.

Midway bracelets are $30 (per person) in advance (click here to buy) or $40 on site and that includes unlimited rides for the day of purchase!

Click here to purchase your midway tickets in advance (online pre-sale purchases can be picked up at The Seeker office at 327 Second Street East)

Individuals midway tickets will be available on site at a cost of $30 for 16 tickets or $60 for 36 tickets. Midway rides typically cost 1-3 tickets to ride.

Please note some Covid protocols may be in effect and children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Entry to the midway is free and you only have to purchase a bracelet or tickets if you plan to go on the rides.

Kids Zone

Ribfest will also feature a kids zone with inflatable castles to enjoy, free of charge, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday!

Akwesasne celebration

Thursday at Ribfest will be a “Greeting to Akwesasró:non,” a day dedicated to celebrating the Akwesasne community and its amazing art and culture. Take a stroll through the crafters tents which will be showcasing some of the best Indigenous crafters in the region.

From 11 am to 3 pm, enjoy traditional music featuring Akwesasne’s Woman’s Singers, Akwesasne’s Bear Fox, AFS Singers as well as a smoke dance demonstration. There will be a mix of Indigenous bands and local musical talent to round on the day.

Entertainment

This year’s Ribfest entertainment lineup might be the best yet! It will be headlined by tribute acts for The Tragically Hip (Thursday night) and the Eagles (Friday night) along with Canada’s very own Queen of Rock, Sass Jordan (Saturday night) and local favourites The Chesterfields (Sunday)! They’ll be sharing the stage with popular local acts Sam Hill, Whiskey on Tap, Hadrian’s Wall, The County Lads and many more.

The full entertainment schedule is as follows:

Thursday

11am to 3pm – Akwesasne’s Woman’s Singers, Akwesasne’s Bear Fox, AFS Singers and smoke dance demonstration
2pm – The Downtown Band
3:15pm – Women Who Rock
5pm – River Mohawk Band
6:30pm – Lone Wolf & The Spaghetti Corner Band
8pm – River City Junction
9:30pm – Fully Completely Hip (The Tragically Hip tribute)

Friday

1:30pm to 3:30pm – Ribfest Idol
3:30pm – Opening Ceremonies
4:30pm – Warhammer
5:30pm – Jessica Sevier
7:30pm – Solid Gold Revival
9:30pm – Epic Eagles (The Eagles tribute)

Saturday

1:30pm – Fork In The Road
3pm – Landmark
4:15pm – Trip The Breaker
5:30pm – Whiskey on Tap
7:30pm – Sam Hill
9:30pm – Sass Jordan

Sunday

12pm – Paolo Stante
1:30pm – The County Lads
3:30pm – Hadrian’s Wall
5:30pm – The Chesterfields

Beer garden

Grab a cold beverage in the Ribfest beer garden and enjoy the live tunes in the park! The beer garden will be open Thursday from 3 pm to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm.

Community Cookout

Looking to get your rib fix early? Check out the Community Cookout running during the week leading up to Ribfest! From July 14th to 20th, 15 participating restaurants will be offering up special dishes – many of them featuring ribs – with a portion of sales going to support Ribfest. For every visit, you’ll receive a ballot to be entered into a draw for $1,000!

For additional info and to see the list of participating restaurants, check out the Cornwall Ribfest website.

Questions?

Do you have other questions about the event? Make sure to check out the Cornwall Ribfest website for additional information and keep an eye on their Facebook page for the latest updates and info.

Parking

There is ample free parking at the Cornwall Civic Complex or Cornwall Community Museum on Water Street, just steps from Lamoureux Park. There is also nearby on- and off-street parking available in Downtown Cornwall. Municipal parking is $1.50 per hour and it’s free on weekends and weekdays after 6 pm! For more information on municipal parking lots and locations, please click here.

Extend your stay

Visit Cornwall for Ribfest? Make a weekend of it with a stay in one of our great accommodations! Check out our Stay page for more info on accommodation options in Cornwall.

Explore more

After you’ve had your fill at Ribfest, make sure to explore more of Cornwall – there’s plenty to see! Save time to take a tour of the Historic SDG Jail (open Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm) right across the street from Lamoureux Park. There’s also the Saunders Hydro Dam Visitor Centre which offers a fun – and free – family experience!

For other fun ideas, make sure to check out the Explore section of our website.