FESTIVAL: Roc City Rib Fest

 

Somehow I've missed the first three years of this new Rochester tradition, so this time I was ready for the fourth annual Roc City Rib Fest.  The four day event at Ontario Beach Park started Friday and wraps up on Memorial Day.  The first sign that this is a popular event was the situation in the parking lot!  Cars circling, darting, and stalking festival goers on their way out.  Finally, an empty spot.  Next: paying for the $5 (and very reasonable) entrance ticket - luckily there were no lines for this and we got right in.  That would be the end of not having to wait!  After circling the major food vendors, we decided to try "Alex's Place", a BBQ joint from Batavia.  They won the best ribs award last year, so we figured we couldn't go wrong.  The only down side - they had the longest line (as you can see above).

It took more than 30 minutes from the time my friend and I hopped in line to when we got our food.  Yeah, it's a long time to wait, but what else would I be doing?  Got a chance to talk, catch up, and listen to live music.  In the end, it was worth the wait.  As you can see above, I got a pulled pork sandwich with a cornbread muffin, and a quarter rack of ribs.  Absolutely delicious!  The sauce was amazing, and the meat was tender - the ribs fell right off the bone. 

 

Despite being full from the ribs and pork, you can't go to Charlotte and not get Abbott's frozen custard.  Luckily, they had a tent within the festival grounds - preventing having to wait in more lines at their shop across the street.  And, yes, I'm boring and got plain old vanilla.  It was the perfect end to a fun afternoon by the lake.  And better yet, a portion of the proceeds is donated to four local resources: the Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong, the Ronald McDonald House of Rochester, the YMCA's Invest in Youth Campaign, and the Charlotte Community Association.  I'm already looking forward to next year!  For more information on the Roc City Rib Festival, click HERE.