Ontario 2026 ribfest guide: Here’s where you can get finger-lickin’ ribs May to September
Communities across the province are hosting ribfests, including in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Windsor, York Region, Peel Region, Halton Region, Simcoe County, Kawartha and beyond.
Summer weather is around the corner in Ontario, which means we’ll soon start enjoying festivals, outdoor concerts and events and a finger-lickin’ food-lover’s activity: ribfests.
Sadly for the folks in Oshawa, they’ll have to travel elsewhere as the organizers of that community’s event cancelled the Durham Region’s longest-running ribfest event.
Luckily for everyone in the province, there are more than 50 ribfests expected to happen this year, including Canada’s largest in Burlington.
Below is a list of ribfest events set to take place around Ontario through the spring, summer and early fall of 2026.
Vaughan Ribfest
When May 15 to 18
Where Assembly Park, 80 Interchange Way.
Website ribfestx.com/event/vaughan-ribfest-2026/.
Barrhaven Ribfest and Poutine — Ottawa
When May 15 to 18
Where Clarke Fields Park, 93 Houlahan St.
Website facebook.com/barrhavenribfest.
Binbrook Ribfest
When May 16 to 18
Where Binbrook Fairgrounds, 2600 Regional Rd. 56.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Windsor Ribfest
When May 22 to 24
Where Riverfront Festival Plaza, 1 Festival Plaza.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Kanata RibFest and Mac My Cheese Fest — Ottawa
When May 22 to 24
Where Community Hub, 400 March Rd.
Website facebook.com.
Ottawa Ribfest
When May 27 to 31
Where Sparks Street, downtown Ottawa.
Website hellodowntown.ca.
Newmarket Ribfest
When May 29 to 31
Where Upper Canada Mall, 17600 Yonge St.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Markham Ribfest
When May 29 to 31
Where Markham Fairgrounds, 10801 McCowan Rd.
Website ribfestx.com/event/markham-ribfest-2026/.
Ajax Rotary Ribfest
When June 5 to 7
Where Ajax Downs Casino, 50 Alexander’s Crossing.
Website ajaxrotaryribfest.ca.
Thornhill Ribfest
When June 5 to 7
Where Promenade Shopping Centre, 1 Promenade Circle.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Alliston Ribfest
When June 5 to 7
Where PPG Park, 130 Church St.
Website ribfestx.com/event/alliston-ribfest-2026/.
Bowmanville Rotary Ribfest
When June 12 to 14
Where Garnet B Rickard Recreation Complex, 2440 Durham Regional Hwy. 2.
Website rotaryribsandbrews.ca.
Caledonia Ribfest
When June 12 to 14
Where Caledonia Fairgrounds, 151 Caithness St. E.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Toronto Beaches Ribfest
When June 19 to 21
Where Woodbine Park, 1695 Queen St. E.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
RibStock Festival — Niagara Falls
When June 19 to 21
Where Firemen’s Park, 2275 Dorchester Rd.
Website ribstock.ca.
Innisfil Ribfest
When June 19 to 21
Where Tanger Outlets Cookstown, 3311 Simcoe 89.
Website ribfestx.com/event/innisfil-ribfest-2026/.
Pickering Rotary Ribfest
When June 19 to 21
Where The Esplanade Park, 1 The Esplanade.
Website pickeringribfest.ca.
Waterdown’s Oh Canada Ribfest
When June 25 to 28
Where Memorial Park, 200 Hamilton St. N.
Website ohcanadaribfest.ca.
Oakville Family Ribfest
When June 26 to 28
Where Sheridan College Trafalgar Campus, 1430 Trafalgar Rd.
Website oakvillefamilyribfest.com.
Downtown Toronto Ribfest
When July 3 to 5
Where Sankofa Square, 1 Dundas St. E.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Barrie Ribfest
When July 3 to 5
Where Heritage Park, 5 Simcoe St.
Website ribfestx.com/event/barrie-ribfest-2026/.
Chatham Ribfest
When July 3 to 5
Where Tecumseh Park, 50 William St. N.
Website chathamribfest.ca.
Waterloo Ribfest
When July 10 to 12
Where RIM Park, 2001 University Ave. E.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Mississauga Rotary Ribfest
When July 10 to 12
Where Erin Mills Town Centre, 5100 Erin Mills Pkwy.
Website ribfestmississauga.com.
Woodbridge Ribfest
When July 10 to 12
Where Woodbridge Fairgrounds, 100 Porter Ave.
Website ribfestx.com.
Whitby Ribfest Plus
When July 10 to 12
Where Whitby Victoria Fields, 203-269 Victoria St. W.
Website whitbyribfest.com.
Stoney Creek Ribfest
When July 17 to 19
Where Eastgate Square Mall, 75 Centennial Pkwy. N.
Website northernheatribseries.ca
Richmond Hill Ribfest
When July 17 to 19
Where Richmond Green Park, 1300 Elgin Mills Rd. E.
Website richmondhill.ca.
Orangeville Rotary Ribfest
When July 17 to 19
Where Alder Street Recreation Centre, 275 Alder St.
Website orangevilleribfest.com.
Kitchener Ribfest & Craft Beer Show
When July 17 to 19
Where Victoria Park.
Website kitchenerribandbeerfest.com.
Shake the Lake Ribfest — North Bay
When July 17 to 20
Where Waterfront Park, 225 Memorial Dr.
Website lake.com/events/shake-the-lake-ribfest/.
Cornwall Ribfest
When July 23 to 26
Where Lamoureux Park, 100 Water St. E.
Website cornwallribfest.com.
Milton Ribfest
When July 24 to 26
Where Milton Community Sports Park, 805 Santa Maria Blvd.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Muskoka Boat and Cottage Show and Muskoka Ribfest
When July 24 to 26
Where Muskoka Wharf, 1111 Bay St., Gravenhurst.
Website muskokashows.com.
London Ribfest
When July 30 to Aug. 3
Where Victoria Park, 580 Clarence St.
Website canadasbiggestparty.com.
St. Catharines Rotary Ribfest
When July 31 to Aug. 3
Where Montebello Park, 64 Ontario St.
Website stcatharinesribfest.com.
Port Credit Ribfest — Mississauga
When Aug. 7 to 9
Where Memorial Park, 40 Lakeshore Rd. E.
Website ribfestx.com.
Hamilton Mountain Ribfest
When Aug. 7 to 9
Where Lime Ridge Mall, 999 Upper Wentworth St.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Brantford Kinsmen Ribfest
When Aug. 7 to 9
Where Mohawk Park, 51 Lynnwood Dr.
Website brantfordribfest.com.
Cambridge Ribfest & Craft Beer Show
When Aug. 7 to 9
Where Riverside Park, 49 King St. W.
Website cambridgeribandbeerfest.com.
Midland Ribfest
When Aug. 14 to 16
Where Harbourside Park, 475 Bayshore Dr.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Northumberland Ribfest — Cobourg
When Aug. 14 to 16
Where Victoria Park, 138 Division St.
Website cobourgrotary.ca.
Orillia Ribfest
When Aug. 21 to 23
Where Tudhope Park, 450 Atherley Rd.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Guelph Ribfest
When Aug. 28 to 30
Where Riverside Park, 709 Woolwich St.
Website ribfestguelph.com.
Kawartha Ribfest — Peterborough
When Aug. 28 to 30
Where Del Crary Park, 100 George St. N.
Website facebook.com.
Aurora’s Ribfest
When Aug. 28 to 30
Where Machell Park, Aurora Heights Drive.
Website aurora.ca.
South Windsor Ribfest
When Aug. 28 to 30
Where Devonshire Mall, 3100 Howard Ave.
Website northernheatribseries.ca.
Canada’s Largest Ribfest — Burlington
When Sept. 4 to 7
Where Spencer Smith Park, 1400 Lakeshore Rd.
Website canadaslargestribfest.com.
Kingston Ribfest & Craft Beer Show
When Sept. 11 to 13
Where Memorial Centre Park, 303 York St.
Website kingstonribandbeerfest.com.
Owen Sound Ribfest
When Sept. 18 to 20
Where Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre, 1900 Third Ave. E.
Website ribfestx.com/event/owen-sound-ribfest-2026/.
Etobicoke Ribfest
When Sept. 25 to 27
Where Colonel Samuel Smith Park, 1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr.
Website ribfestx.com/event/etobicoke-ribfest-2026/.
Pembroke Ribfest
When Sept. 25 to 27
Where Pembroke Waterfront Park, Fred Blackstein Boulevard.
Website facebook.com.
By Metroland Staff, Insidehaltoncom
