Organizers say Naperville's Ribfest could set record

After four days of food, music and near-perfect weather, Naperville Exchange Club's Ribfest is at an end.

Organizers said they are on their way to breaking last year's record-setting donation total of $800,000. And that's with one less day to raise the money.

"We'll certainly exceed our four-day record," said last year's Ribfest Chairman Rick Grimes.

All the money goes to local charities that help combat child abuse. Nearly 100 nonprofit agencies benefited from Ribfest last year.

Here are some observations from the four-day festival that almost slipped under the radar.

Best new menu addition: Nothing says Australian cuisine like cornbread. Awesome Aussie's owner Paul Mackay added a creamed-corn cornbread brick to his menu this year. The soft and sweet bread was a smash with eaters. Mackay said people were enduring the long lines at his tent just for the new creation.

Best new food invention: He may not be able to win an election, but Jim Oberweis makes some pretty darn good ice cream. His latest creation is a tube of ice cream that eaters squeeze like a giant toothpaste tube so they don't have to worry about spoons.

Worst criminal: A 33-year-old North Aurora woman was busted Friday by Naperville police for public urination after Ribfest ended. It was a pretty easy collar for the local officers. She was found using a trailer emblazoned with the words "Naperville Police" for balance as she committed the misdemeanor.

Power of the Internet: The official Ribfest Web site spent most of the event on the fritz. Organizers said the Web provider underestimated the band width necessary for the traffic the festival generates to the site. But somehow record crowds still showed up and record donations were being tallied.

Take the under: For anyone who was betting how long it would take for Ted Nugent to use a four-letter expletive in his "family friendly" concert Thursday, it was eight minutes.

Not to be outdone: REO Speedwagon frontman Kevin Cronin also let a naughty word slip after an hour and five minutes on stage Friday night. The singer's potty mouth didn't seem to faze his elderly mother and father who were watching their son and singing along from a nearby riser.

In the black: Before the gates were even opened Friday, the event was flush with cash. That's thanks to the largest number of sponsors the event has ever garnered, organizers said. BP is one of the largest local sponsors, providing funding for the family area and more than 100 volunteers throughout the festival. Medical payment group Viant is also another large donor. Also helping make Ribfest liquid were beverage companies Miller and Pepsi.

Lending a hand: For the first time in recent memory, organizers didn't have to put out a plea for last-minute volunteers. More than 3,800 people signed up early for duty, and more importantly showed up over the four days to lend a hand with security, cleanup and sales. The Exchange Club is holding a special volunteer party at Fredenhagen Park along Naperville's Riverwalk Aug. 23 to say thanks.