After 32 years, Ribfest says goodbye to Naperville
Tangy, sweet, smokey or spicy, all the barbecued ribs options available to the patrons of Naperville's Ribfest on Saturday came with a side of bittersweet. Saturday marked the last time Naperville will host the annual four-day festival of food and music after a 32-year run.
"It's a nice venue," says George Salti, a cancer surgeon from Hinsdale who parks at nearby Edward Hospital and walks with his wife Maria and twin daughters Isabella and Doreah to Knoch Park to soak up all that Ribfest has to offer.
"We've gone every year for the last four years," says Isabella, a 14-year-old who dives into her plate of ribs with a willingness to get a little messy.
"I've never tried them," says mom Maria Salti. "The girls love it. It's the atmosphere. It feels like summer."
Just as it has for that last 31 years of Ribfest.
"We missed the first 29," quips Chuck Martin, 66, who lived in California until he moved to Westmont and now Berwyn. "We used to live across the street from Uncle Bub's in Westmont."
Uncle Bub's is the rib franchise that walked away with the honors at this year's Ribfest, winning best sauce, best ribs and kids' choice. Martin, wearing a USS John S. McCain destroyer hat, adds a sticker to his shirt for every rib place he and his 15-year-old grandson, Reid, try. Martin's wife takes a different approach.
"I don't like to get messy," says Claudia Martin, who opts for a bowl of macaroni and cheese with brisket. "Anything with a fork, I'll eat."
With renovations coming to Knoch Park later this month, Ribfest organizers from the Exchange Club of Naperville are expected to move the popular four-day festival to Romeoville, about a half-hour drive from the current location.
"It's not too far," says Thalita Murry of Aurora, who has been coming to Ribfest with her husband, Adrian, every year for the last decade, except when she was pregnant or with a little baby. Their daughter Aralyn, 6, tries some of her dad's rib tips, and she and little brother, Ace, 2, dive into a bucket of french fries topped with cheese, ketchup and bacon.
"We won't see salad until next week," their mom says with a laugh.
"We're going to go down the row and try each one," proclaims Ken Austin of Naperville, who, after doing the math, admits that buying a 3-rib sampler from all 11 barbecue vendors might be a bit too much food, even if he gets help from his wife, Kathy. "Well, we'll try as many as we can sample and get out before the rain."
Weather forced a brief evacuation on Friday, but Saturday's final bash went off as planned.
"I'm sad to see it leave," says Kathy Austin. But now that they aren't spending every July Fourth holiday following their daughter Jessi's basketball career, the Austins say they might venture to a Ribfest in Romeoville next summer.
"A lot of people are saying it's sad we're leaving," says Pete Paulsen a co-chair for event, from which the Exchange Club of Naperville has raised more than $17.5 million for dozens of organizations working to end child abuse and domestic violence. "But they said they'll go wherever we go."