Pittsburgh Rib Fest kicks off and continues through Monday

Art Rooney Avenue outside Acrisure Stadium on Pittsburgh’s North Shore has transformed into barbecue heaven over Labor Day weekend.

The annual rib festival kicked off Thursday night with a dozen award-winning vendors competing for several trophies, including best sauce, best ribs and people’s choice.

The event will run until Monday and admission is free.

Some have traveled as far as South Carolina and Fort Worth, Texas, to test the might of their meat against some of the country’s best traveling competitors.

“We smoke our ribs so long they should go to rehab,” said pitmaster and head chef Marlin Thomas of Cowboys Barbeque & Rib Co. “All you need are your fingertips and your lips.”

The crew from the Lone Star State took home the trophy for best salsa last year.

Thomas said the secret to the sweet and tangy dressing is “nothing but love.” He likes the chances of becoming back-to-back champions.

“We travel from state to state and city to city all summer long,” Thomas said. “We start in May and finish at the end of September. As we get away from the heat of Texas, I feel like people are coming to us to enjoy something from the South. We have a legacy.”

He said the Pittsburgh crowd was energetic, generous and very friendly.

Ohio-based Off the Bone BBQ is coming off its recent contest in New Jersey, where it won best ribs and best sauce.

Its signature seasoning is a sweet spice blend called “Alabama Dirt.”

They are also known for their large plate of ribs, brisket, cornbread and various sides.

When people ask for it, they say, “Hank, hook me up.”

It is named after the company’s most prominent personality, Hank “The Tank” McCracken.

The former After Hours Barbeque frontman adopted the persona of an uncle this year, calling several attendees “nephew” at the start of Rib Fest.

Hank the Tank returns to Pittsburgh #ribfest image.twitter.com/i0h5XXRqI2

— Mike D. (@MikeJdiVittorio) August 29, 2024

Regina Griffin, from Pittsburgh’s East Liberty/Garfield neighborhoods, is helping Off the Bone this year.

She’s been at the stand with the big turkey legs and lemonades for the past few years.

“I love it here,” Griffin said. “I’ve seen what it’s like. The kids have energy here. Plus, the food is great.”

Griffin said the crowd has grown over the years and he’s excited to see what’s in store this weekend.

Other vendors include After Hours Barbeque, Carolina Rib King, Pigfoot BBQ, Ribbins BBQ and Johnson’s Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Que, which makes the festival’s hottest sauce, called Thermonuclear Sauce.

There is a large white sign on Johnson’s stand warning consumers of what to expect with the mixture.

“It will improve your cardiovascular system, sinuses, colon and pancreas simultaneously. We’re talking Hot,” the sign read.

The sign also says: “No guts, no glory.”

Local flavour

Representing the south side of Steel City is multiple people’s choice award winner, Bad Azz BBQ.

It is owned by Stacy Bradley and the ribs are prepared by chef Marven Khalid.

“We use hardwood for cooking,” Bradley said. “Everything is cooked in our smoker right there. We really care about customer service and making sure we’re offering the best ribs.”

Khalid said the ribs are slow-smoked and take between nine and 13 hours to prepare from start to finish.

“They are well smoked, they don’t skip any steps,” says Khalid, who has been a chef for 12 years. “This is the final stage.

“We love competition. Because we’re well-known here in Pittsburgh, we’re very friendly. We love having people here to compete with (and) do business with. Everybody likes us. We like everybody, too.”

Bradley echoed comments of camaraderie among vendors.

“These are the best five days of the year,” he said. “The atmosphere is great. Even though we all compete together, we’re all friends. … We actually forgot our can opener, so we used our neighbors’.”

Jim’s Smokin Que in Homestead also represents the Pittsburgh area at Rib Fest.

Something for everyone

Along West General Robinson Street, among the rib vendors, you can find chicken on sticks, turkey legs, milkshakes, ice cream, fried Oreos and other desserts.

Thursday was Beaver County’s Samantha McKelvey’s first time participating in Rib Fest.

She was in attendance with her family, her boyfriend Ray Kimble of Monaco and her sons Kobe Kimble, 2, and Bryant Kimble, 1.

McKelvey said she loved the funnel cakes.

“We just wanted to do something as a family,” she said. “I hadn’t had funnel cake in almost three years, right before I had (Kobe). We went to Kennywood and that fall I was pregnant. I’d never been to anything like that. So far it’s been okay. We haven’t done too much all year.”

Kimble said he was at Rib Fest years ago and was happy to share some family time at the center.

“I try to let people know how nice Pittsburgh is,” said Kimble, who grew up on the North Side. “To see everything in place, with the perfect atmosphere, today is a great day. I love all the vendors so far. I didn’t get to eat any ribs, but trust me, I’ll be visiting all the vendors.”

What awaits us?

Parts of the stadium will be open for people to tour all weekend, including the Fed Ex Grand Ballroom.

The Clarks will perform on Friday night. Black Ridge will open the show for them at around 7:30 p.m.

The Pittsburgh Panthers will host Kent State on Saturday afternoon in the school’s home opener of the season.

An interactive cooking show is scheduled for Sunday at Bluespire Kitchen.

A street party is planned for that evening with DJ Petey C from 2-5pm.

A cornhole tournament to benefit Veteran’s Place is scheduled for noon Monday at the stadium.

The Steelers will also host a 5K run and walk on Monday morning and a youth mini-camp on the field later in the day, according to Cecelia Cagni, the Steelers’ director of corporate communications.

“It’s really exciting, especially as we’re gearing up for football season,” Cagni said. “To be able to offer this community event where we can showcase some of the best rib vendors in the world to the region.

“Giving people of all backgrounds something to celebrate. There is something for everyone at this community event.”

More information is available at acrisurestadium.com/ribfest.