Come for ribs, stay for the music
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Throughout the four-day event over the Memorial Day weekend, people inside and outside Butler County traveled to attend the second Butler Rib and Music Festival.
But it wasn't just the guests who traveled long distances for the fest at the Butler Farm Show grounds. It was also the rib-makers themselves who traveled from other states to bring their ribs to the masses.
“This is our form of where we're from,” said Solomon Williams, owner of Rib King, from South Carolina. “We're from the Carolinas, where this is the taste. It's just what we do.”Sal Richetti organized the first Butler Rib and Music Festival in 2019 simply because there were no other events like it in the county.While the festival was not able to go on in 2020, Richetti brought it back this year, starting Friday, inviting four rib companies to sell, and musical acts from local singers to touring cover bands to perform.Some of the rib providers said the wet weather may have stifled attendance some days, but the people who did attend the festival were able to find enjoyment, whether they came for the food or for the tunes.Lisa Beck and Vickie Beck came from East McKeesport to see a Motley Crue cover band Saturday but enjoyed some ribs while they were there as well.“We came for the music,” Lisa Beck said. “It's worth it. Nothing is too overpriced, and it's all really good.”Others came in search of a weekend activity for the whole family.“I figured we could get away for the weekend,” said Katie Dickey, who traveled with her family and some friends from Huntingdon to attend the festival. “We were looking for something to do and thought we could come here since we can finally get out and do things again.”
Dickey and her family tried wings from all four of the sellers at the festival, which was encouraged by the organizers in order for customers to vote for the best ribs in the county.The competitive aspect of the event encouraged people to either try all the ribs at once, or come back for a second day. The providers themselves said the festival was not only a good place to sell but to try flavors from around the country.“The first one was good,” Pete Marshall, owner of Off the Bone BBQ from Alabama, said of the fest. “You can get all different types of taste here.”The providers also said the absence of many grilling events in 2020 was a hit to business, so getting back to the routine of traveling to sell is a relief.“It's really important because this is our form,” Williams said. “We were out of it over that period of time and stopped being able to sell as much.”
