Ribfest crowds push capacity: Pandemic measures tested
The statement universally uttered at London’s Ribfest Friday was this: “It’s really nice to be out!"
The phrase wafted over the first approved outdoor event at Victoria Park since the pandemic began.
Visitors did so as the event, limited to 1,400 people, approached capacity shortly before 7 p.m.
Those heading inside expressed thrill about not only the food choices but particularly the live bands playing on the main stage.
Live music, like gatherings of any kind, had been quashed during the height of restrictions.
But at separated tables, people listened in, ate ribs and consumed beverages together.
A few even dared to dance.
People listen to live music at London, Ont.’s Ribfest on Friday, July 30, 2021. (Sean Irvine / CTV News)
People listen to live music at London, Ont.’s Ribfest on Friday, July 30, 2021. (Sean Irvine / CTV News)
All, once things that were taken for granted, now seemingly soaked up by those hungry for in-person interactions.
Among them one man having a hard time drawing comparisons between where we’ve been and where we are.
"Oh yeah exactly, stuck in the house for so long. It’s still a dream.”
But, in a clear sign the pandemic is far from over, the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) was conducting a vaccination clinic next to Ribfest's front door.
MLHU officials could not comment on how many people opted for a shot, but a security official suggested the number was around 80.
A vaccine clinic just outside the gates of London, Ont.'s Ribfest is seen just prior to closing for the day on Friday, July 30, 2021. The clinic is open Saturday from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. (Sean Irvine / CTV News)
A vaccine clinic just outside the gates of London, Ont.'s Ribfest is seen just prior to closing for the day on Friday, July 30, 2021. The clinic is open Saturday from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. (Sean Irvine / CTV News)
Back inside Ribfest, it was an odd sight as people passed by each other in close proximity.
Masks were generally being worn, but as in a restaurant, not while people were eating or drinking.
Ribfest Organizer Doug Hillier says he’s overwhelmed with the Friday evening crowd, calling it “up there with the best Fridays we’ve ever had.”
He suggests if the number keeps up through the long weekend, the event will turn a profit.
But as we’ve heard throughout this pandemic, money comes second to health, and even with measures in place, some remain uneasy.
To go beyond public health requirements, Ribfest organizers told CTV News London on Thursday they created a team of people whose job is to separate people who overcrowd.
Ashley McClatchey, enjoying a meal with her two children and some friends appreciates the addition.
“I think everybody is being receptive to it. We want to have a good day, staying away from each other, given social distancing.”
Ribfest runs through Monday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumour mill. That's a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported -- the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.