It’s official – Indian River County Rotary Clubs are now covering the market with a full gamut of tasty temptations. This past weekend it was the carnivores’ turn; the mouthwatering aroma of barbeque attracting huge crowds to the Twisted Tail BBQ Ribfest, a two-day food festival at Riverside Park hosted by the Rotary Club of Vero Beach.
The event tied in perfectly with the Sunrise Rotary Club’s Florida Craft Brew and Wingfest and Sebastian Rotary’s ShrimpFest & Craft Beer Hulabaloo – all equally yummy and all to support local charities.
Ribfest organizers made several changes in this second year, moving the venue to Riverside Park, adding live bands throughout the entire weekend, and having the public vote for their favorite ribs rather than professional judges. Something people seemed more than happy to do. Attendees were given one vote ticket for each $10 in food/drink tickets purchased.
“There really wasn’t a ribfest that we knew of anywhere on the Treasure Coast,” said event chairman Mike Kanuka. “There were some barbeque events, but nothing that brought in professional rib vendors, the likes of which you could see on reality TV shows like ‘BBQ Pitmasters.’”
Members of the other clubs were on hand help things run smoothly.
“It’s the wonderful thing about our Rotary Clubs. We all help each other out at each other’s events. And that’s what makes it so special,” said Kanuka. “And the one thing we don’t want to lose sight of is the purpose behind it, which is to be able to support our community and the charitable organizations to which we contribute. That’s the whole purpose of our event and why we hope it becomes so successful.”
“We placed in the wingfest and now we want to try to place here,” said SoFlo Bistro owner Stephanie Swink, one of eight rib vendors, all from Florida, competing for the coveted Twisted Tail Ribfest trophy.
The competition was deliciously fierce, but the vendors all seemed up for the challenge.
“I ordered one but I don’t know what it is,” said Spiro Gavaris, who was waiting for pig wings from the only other Vero vendor, Tommy T’s BBQ. “But that’s why we’re here; to try new things.”
“What a cool thing to do on a Saturday,” said Brady Buckner, who was thoroughly enjoying R&R BBQue’s ribs and slaw. “I just got here and this one is doing it for me.”
Half the proceeds from the event were slated for the Vero Beach Rotary Charities Foundation, which supports local charities. The other half will be split equally among the Boys and Girls Clubs of IRC, the Salvation Army and the Rotary Initiative for Submerged Seagrass Awareness (RISSA). Dick Honeck, a 40-year Rotarian, explained that the Rotary Club of Vero Beach, founded in 1926, meets at the Vero Beach Yacht Club Thursdays at noon.
