Rib, wing vendors to compete at festival
GREENSBURG – Award-winning national rib and wing vendors will converge on the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds today through Sunday for the “Coors Light Pennsylvania Rib, Wing and Music Festival.” More than 20,000 visitors are expected to sample the ribs and wings of some of the country’s premier rib and wing vendors, including Cowboys Barbecue & Rib Company from Fort Worth, Texas; Fatdaddy’s House of Bones from Mansfield, Ohio; Prickly Pear BBQ from Sterling, Va.; AJ’s Smokehouse from Sheridan, Ill.
Local favorites, Quaker Steak & Lube from Sharon and Texas Roadhouse from Greensburg, and others will be featured.
An estimated 25,000 pounds of ribs and wings will be served, lathered with 1,000 pounds of barbecue sauce, making this one of the biggest cook-offs in Western Pennsylvania. Each rib and wing vendor will bring its unique secret recipe of barbecue sauce and cooking techniques to the festival, making it one competitive weekend.
The 12 national rib and wing vendors, who will be at the event, have won hundreds of awards at numerous rib and wig cook-offs all over the world, and together they will compete in some 200 events this year.
The public will decide who’s got the best ribs and wings as they complete ballots and vote for their favorite rib and wing vendor. About $1,200 in cash awards will be given for best ribs and wings.
Three full days of entertainment will feature 14 bands and 21 hours of live music.
To find the Westmoreland Fairgrounds, take Route 119 North, to Route 30 East, to Greensburg-Mount Pleasant Exit and then follow festival signs.
The entertainment schedule is as follows:
– Today, WDVE Rock ‘N’ Roll Day. Dreaming Tree, a Dave Matthews tribute band, will play “What Would Say,” “Crash Into Me,” “Ants Marching,” “Don’t Drink the Water.”
– Saturday, WDVE Rock & Roll Day. Starship, featuring Mickey Thomas, will play “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” “We Built This City,” “Sara” and “Jane.”
– Sunday, 3-W-S Oldies Day and Country Day. Johnny Angel and the Halos, the Vogues, Chandler and Povertyneck Hillbillies will perform.
The entertainment takes place on a 32-foot-by-40-foot stage in the heart of the rib/wing vendors, so everyone can enjoy the music even as they stand in line to order their ribs and wings.
The festival also features other activities. A motorcycle show will take place on Saturday and will feature some of the area’s best makes and models of street and custom motorcycles. Last year, more than 400 motorcycles participated from various HOG Chapters, Honda Gold Wing Chapters and more. Street and custom motorcycles are welcome and are admitted free to the festival Saturday. Key chains will be given to the first 100 motorcycles and trophies will be awarded to the top five motorcycles.
On Sunday, cars and trucks roll into the fairgrounds, featuring some of the area’s best custom, classic and antique cars and trucks. Members from a number of local car clubs and others will display their cars/trucks on a huge blacktop and lighted lot inside the festival. Anyone with a custom, classic or antique car is admitted free on Sunday, up to two persons per car. Dash plaques will be awarded to the first 100 cars along with trophies for the top five cars.
More than 60 high-quality artists and craftsmen will be on hand displaying and selling their work including sterling silver jewelry, leather, decorative and functional wood, tole and decorative painting, clothing, baskets, photography, wood furniture, ceramics, candles and much more. The craft displays will be located in three huge buildings and outdoors.
Children’s activities will include a barnyard petting zoo, a 60-foot-long kiddie train ride, giant 14-foot high moon walk, rock toppers 24-foot climbing wall, 20-foot giant titanic inflatable slide, fireball designs henna tattoo artist and airbrush body art. Clowns glitter-dot and dapper will do face painting and balloon animals.
The event will also feature American thunder 30-foot micro-reality NASCAR stock car race track, 30-foot paint ball shooting range, spin art for the kids, games and amusements, Victory Lane Go Karts, a Quad Power Jump and a huge reptile display with albion cobras, king cobras, diamondback rattlesnakes, pythons, giant monitor lizards and more.
Commercial exhibits include medieval clothing, home improvement companies, sunglasses, leather apparel, tattoo artists and more. Laurel Mountain Chiropractic will give free massages.
Other food vendors will offer kettle korn, hot dogs, corn dogs, curly fries, funnel cakes, cotton candy, snow cones, corn on the cob, ice cream, soft pretzels, apple dumplings, baked potatoes, fruit cup, fruit smoothie, bloomin’ onion, butterfly potato, roasted almonds, baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw, pork-rib and chicken sandwiches and much more. There will be barrels of Coors Light, Coors, Killian’s Red, Zima, Pepsi products, and lemonade.
Acres of free on-site parking is provided, and no shuttling is required. A special reserved wheelchair and disability parking area has been established next to the main gate. Restroom facilities and all exhibit buildings are also wheelchair friendly. Wheelchairs are not available to rent at the festival, and visitors should bring their own wheelchairs.
Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more. Church, civic organizations, corporations and other groups should call the festival office for group discounts. There is a special reserved bus/motor coach parking area. Motor coach groups of 20 or more should call in advance to reserve their tickets and parking space. For information, 724-863-4577.
To find the Westmoreland Fairgrounds from Fayette County and Morgantown W.Va., take Route 119 North, to Route 30 East, to Greensburg-Mt. Pleasant Exit and then follow festival signs.