Rims and Ribs aims to be a ‘super event’ for downtown Chatham

While the combination of RetroFest and Ribfest Chatham is only planned for this year, the partnership could continue into the future depending on how it’s received, the project manager for the Historic Downtown Chatham BIA has said.

“If it’s totally loved, then we can look at it in the future but, for this year, it is what it is and that way we can both have our events and both of us can participate for that weekend,” Connie Beneteau said following a presentation to the media about the Rims and Ribs event.

Ribfest and the BIA-organized RetroFest will both be held in downtown Chatham and Tecumseh Park, with some events at Sons of Kent, during the May 26-28 weekend.

Beneteau said the two events complement each other because there are some differences in the audiences they usually attract.

“As soon as we put it out that we were doing a Rims and Ribs this year, it’s been really well received by the public,” she said. “The businesses will receive it just as equally as well because we bring down 25,000 people within an event weekend, and Ribfest brings down a large number of people.”

The partnership came together because Summit Shows Canada, which organizes Ribfest Chatham, couldn’t hold the event in July as usual due to construction at Tecumseh Park. That work will begin at the park on June 1, a few days after the Rims and Ribs event.

“There was no way of us getting large vehicles through the construction zone,” Chris Glassford, owner for Summit Shows Canada, said. “Smaller events can happen in Tecumseh Park (through construction). However, our event uses a lot of large equipment, including rides, rib trucks, that sort of thing.”

Glassford said the only options were to find another location, which wasn’t working out, or work with an event being held ahead of construction.

“We have mixed elements of both festivals into each other to kind of make this a great event,” he said.

In place of the Friday night cruise, there will be parking lot party at the Downtown Chatham Center on May 26.

“You don’t have to have, necessarily, a classic (car) to attend, but it’s definitely one of the highlights of our Friday night presentation for RetroFest,” Glassford said.

The same day, Ribfest will run in Tecumseh Park with a country-themed music night featuring The Chasers and other country bands.

The car show for RetroFest will line the streets of downtown Chatham on May 27. Ribfest will continue in Tecumseh Park, which will also have the Ms. RetroFest competition and the rib competition with celebrity judges.

The soap box derby will be held May 28, while the Ribfest awards program and other activities will be held in Tecumseh Park.

An afterparty will take place May 28 in the evening at Sons of Kent. Tickets will be required to attend.

“This is a weekend you don’t want to miss,” Glassford said. “It’s going to be a great time for our community and communities around us to celebrate both the barbeque season and the classic car season.”