London, Ont.'s Victoria Park welcomes Ribfest 2023

It’s meaty, it's saucy, and it's back. Ribfest is filling the streets of downtown London with the smoky smell of barbecue, and you're invited!

Ribfest organizer Doug Hillier called the festival ‘historic.’

“It's been here a very long time — over 35 years. So it's become part of peoples' lives,” he told CTV News on Thursday, Ribfest’s opening day.

“This place is alive. It has stage, music everywhere, we have the road closure that is very exciting to be getting your ribs right off the street and then bring them into the park and eat. It's just a magical place. There's so much going on,” Hillier explained.

It's all about the ribs! One ribber will get a trophy for the best ribs at the festival.

“The competition is going to be judged at 2 p.m. on Sunday, by celebrity judges and people from the community. And when you find that out, you're going to start seeing lineups go over to the best ribber,” Hillier said.

Last year's champion is Jorge Gonzalez from Go Gonzalez BBQ. He said he's ready to defend his title.

London Ribfest's 2022 winner, Jorge Gonzalez from Go Gonzalez BBQ, was seen saucing up his ribs on the first day of Ribfest on August 3, 2023. (Amandalina Lettero/CTV News London)

“I love this thing so much,” Gonzalez said as he hugged his Ribfest trophy. “A little bit nervous because there's 9 more good competitors that I have to beat them again. And I'm looking forward to doing so.”

Gonzalez believes grilling good barbecue is an art form.

“It’s like a good wine. If you want to have a wine on a sunny day, you gotta have white wine. If you're going to have a steak, you have a red wine. It's pretty much the same thing. You have to know the type of wood. You have to know the quality of the sauce, the ingredients," he said.

Hillier wants everyone to indulge, so this year, there are some new additions.

“We've got halal ribs... We've got those beef ribs that you're all going to be looking [for] and you're going to get them here in the beer garden. Also other halal food on the main road. There's also a non-alcoholic stage for people to enjoy," he said.

Ribfest runs Thursday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Monday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Victoria Park.

More details can be found here.

London’s 2023 Ribfest runs from August 3-7 in Victoria Park. (Amandalina Letterio/CTV News London)