Scott Applebaum enjoyed his barbecue ribs Friday at The Blade’s 40th annual Northwest Ohio Rib Off, but the ribs weren’t the main reason he was there.
“I am here for the people,” Mr. Applebaum, 75, of Belleair, Fla., said as he gestured toward a line of barbecue grill stands. “These are the people who travel to small towns and compete for who has the best ribs or the best sauce, the people who make a career of cooking these ribs, dragging these ovens and smokers around and putting up beautiful signs and things.”
Mr. Applebaum was one of an early crowd of about 200 people that hit the sunlit lawn at the Lucas County Fairgrounds in Maumee Friday afternoon to dig into the offerings. He was on a family visit, he said.
He said barbecue chefs and their staff are his favorite people “because they are dedicated to their profession and their employment and to selling, and they are always friendly.”
That said, the retired dentist and high school science teacher noted that he was just done sampling barbecue ribs from three different competitors and was going to buy ribs from at least a couple more before voting on the best of them.
“Those are the most delicious ribs,” Mr. Applebaum said. “They cook them well, and they all have slightly different flavored sauces. And it's just interesting. I haven't had a bad one yet.”
As he talked around 2 p.m., more than a half dozen competitors were lined up on the lawn.
Speaking from his side of the barbecue grill, Mark Grant, owner of Porky Chicks BBQ of Fayetteville, Ark., said he was enjoying his early customers.
“[Right now] it’s kind of slow, but we will have a lot bigger crowd tonight when the entertainment starts. But they're coming in. So we're feeding them and we’re happy to be here,” Mr. Grant said, adding that he had been barbecuing beef and pork ribs since 6 a.m.
Friday was to see a performance from Gin Blossoms, known for alternative hits in the early and mid-’90s like “Hey Jealousy” and “As Long as It Matters,” which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1997. An opening performance by Sponge, the Detroit-based group led by Vinnie Dombrowski that broke out in 1994 with the certified gold album Rolling Pinata that drew comparisons to contemporaries like Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots, was set to begin at 8 p.m.
Along with Porky Chicks BBQ, this year’s Rib Off contestants include Austin's Texas Lightning BBQ of Naperville, Ill.; Old Town Barbecue of Rittman, Ohio; Armadillo’s Down Home Dixie BBQ of Naperville, Ill.; MoJo’s Famous BBQ of Canton; Deet’s BBQ of Maumee; and O’Henry’s Kitchen on Wheels of Toledo.
Weather was picture perfect, with contestants and visitors alike enjoying the sunny and breezy afternoon.
Several dozen people were enjoying their meals in the dining area at the time while chatting with each other and listening to music being played over a loudspeaker, while other people enjoyed their food in the shade of a nearby tree.
Among those huddled over their meals were Terry Hoffman, 69, a retired math teacher from Sylvania and his 21-year-old daughter Maria Hoffman, a Toledo Zoo worker.
They had just had some ribs. Miss Hoffman was chasing them with a pulled pork sandwich as her father watched the crowd.
“We like to come here each year,” Mr. Hoffman said. “Maria’s favorite food is ribs. ... And it’s just a nice summertime event, and the music in the evening is nice.”
Miss Hoffman said she had enjoyed the ribs, the sandwich was “also good,” and the lines weren’t “super long.”
Presented by Dunn Chevy, the event at 1406 Key St. will continue through Sunday, with a weekend full of rib tasting, live music, cornhole tournaments, and more.
Local and national “ribbers” are competing for several awards in hopes to be crowned the ultimate rib master by a panel of judges.
General admission for the first two days of the event — concert included — is $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. Limited advanced reserved seating tickets for the concerts was about $60.
Saturday will see a performance from Brett Young, winner of New Male Vocalist of the Year at the 2018 Academy of Country Music Awards, who has been praised for bringing an honesty and soulfulness back to country music. He had a string of seven No. 1 singles to begin his career, from 2018’s “In Case You Didn’t Know,” to 2020’s “Lady,” and released his fourth album Across the Sheets in August.
Sunday, Family Day sponsored by Durocher’s, will have a performance from Van Halen tribute band Jump for $10 admission along with games and inflatables.
For more information, go to blademediakit.com/nworiboff/ .
Local News
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