Blooming Prairie Ribfest cooking up funds for fundraiser

It’s hard to turn down an afternoon of barbecue ribs and supporting children and you can do both when the Blooming Prairie Youth Club hosts its 13th annual Blooming Prairie Ribfest from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, at the Blooming Prairie Servicemen’s Club.

The event supports the club’s mission of providing K-6 before and after school programming along with summer programming.

“Not only does the money help keep the doors open, we are able to do some improvements. One of the things with our facility is a third of our kids are below the poverty line,” said Amanda Johnson, Blooming Prairie Youth Club board president. “They really need an affordable place to go.”

Rib tasting and a pulled pork meal will start at 4 p.m. and go until the meat is all gone. There will also be a silent auction from 4-6 p.m. with the Ribfest winners being announced at 6:15 p.m.

Starting at 6:30 p.m. there will be a live auction going until 8 p.m. and the Kona Ice Truck will be onsite from 3-7 p.m. Music will be provided by DJ Peps throughout the event.

Prior to the start of everything, there will be a kids hamburger cook off at 2:30 p.m.

“The community really comes together for us,” Johnson said.

For the past 12 years of the event, Ribfest has been a focal point for really good food and a worthy cause. In total, 13 teams are registered to take part in the event, ranging from those who have been there from the beginning and those still new to Ribfest.

Ten of the teams are from Blooming Prairie with one team each from Owatonna, St. Peter and New Prague.

“It is a lot of fun,” Johnson said. “Food kind of unites people, too. Getting a meal, getting ribs — we had some first-timers last year that are excited to come back again. I think it just says a lot about what this is.”

Ribfest is the premier event out of a number of events throughout the year that help raise money for the Blooming Prairie Youth Club. Johnson said that the hope is to raise a goal of $100,000 by the end of the year.

The hope for Ribfest this year is to raise around $40,000, similar to what was raised last year at $42,000.

Money raised from Ribfest goes primarily to facility maintenance. In the past they’ve been able to use funds for a new roof, flooring, playground equipment and more.

“That’s one of the things I always tell people and why I’m so involved in things there because it is a great community,” Johnson said. “Everybody supports everybody. We don’t take that granted.”

Johnson also said the hope is to not only get people excited about the event, but to also raise awareness in the surrounding area for the Blooming Prairie Youth Club, which provides affordable child care.

At just $100 a week, the club provides breakfast, lunch and snacks in the summer along with field trips, summer activities, swimming pool membership and learning days. During the school year, staff helps with school work, mentoring and provides things like STEM activities.

“We don’t just service Blooming Prairie,” Johnson said. “We have parents from Austin, Rochester — our reach is further than Blooming Prairie.”

For those attending the event, pre-event tickets cost $20 and are available up until noon the day of the event at the Blooming Prairie Youth Club, Vandal’s Family Market, J&H Liquors and the BP Servicemen’s Club. At the door, tickets are $25.

Tickets will cover the cost of around three to four tastings and the pulled-pork dinner. The day will also include a bounce house for kids and face-painting.

For more information, follow Ribfest on Facebook or email: bpyouthclubinfo@gmail.com.

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