Rib, music festival returns with gusto
The Butler Rib & Music Festival is picking up where it left off two years ago this weekend following its inaugural event at the Butler Farm Show Grounds in 2019.
Sal Richetti, the festival's producer, said the event was created to fill a gap in entertainment in the county.
“There's not a rib fest in Butler, so we wanted to have a rib and music festival to celebrate the summer,” Richetti said. “And everyone loves ribs and music.”
Although the festival is more than a year in the making — having been canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic — Richetti said he expects it to be a draw for people in and outside of Butler County.
With four rib providers attending as well as musical guests such as Donnie Iris, an Earth Wind and Fire tribute band, a Van Halen and Whitesnake tribute band and a Chicago tribute band, Richetti said the festival may attract more than a thousand attendees per day.The Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau is also promoting the festival after the first year's event brought many people to the area.Also, Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau President Jack Cohen said he thinks many people will be attracted to an outdoor entertainment event after so many had been canceled last year.“Because of everybody getting outside again, I think it's going to be a huge event,” Cohen said. “I'm hoping they're busy and I'm hoping a lot of people are ready to get outside again.”Cohen said the musical performers are also anticipating an audience after many had not been able to perform in front of people for about a year.“You think about the musicians and how they couldn't work at all,” Cohen said. “It would be great for all these folks to see people come out to see them, too.”The performance schedule for the weekend can be found at butlerribandmusicfest.com.
Richetti summed up what visitors can expect to find at the ribs and music festival this year.“Best ribs and best entertainment,” he said.The festival runs from noon to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and from noon to 6 p.m. Monday at the Butler Farm Show Grounds, 625 Evans City Road.Admission is $5 per person per day, and parking costs an additional $5.More information is available on the festival's website.
