Western Canada Ribfest tour kicks off in Winnipeg
Posted May 30, 2026 5:53 pm.
Last Updated May 31, 2026 10:44 am.
Three of the top rib teams from across Canada are competing for the best ribs in the 2026 Western Canada Ribfest Tour at Winnipeg’s Red River Exhibition Park.
Billy bones BBQ, Blazin BBQ and Buckeye BBQ are serving up their best recipes as they eye the prize. The teams have been a part of the show for several years, some from day one.
Dennis Nephin, director of strategic partnership, Western Canada Ribfest tour, said the event has been going on for over a decade and since then there has been a growing interest.
“The popularity grew and we’re getting more relationships with a lot of communities, and they are like ‘come here come here’,” Nephin said. “We’re now at 18 shows we start here kicking off in Winnipeg and we finish off at swift current in September.”
Nephin said teams are judged based on a blind tasting.
Uyrell Philip is the manager of Billy bones BBQ, one of the teams to compete in the ribfest.
“Ribfest started in the States and then there was a group of people that decided to bring it to Canada,” Philip said.
Travis Depencier, manager of Blazin BBQ, said, he took part in the ribfest 10 years ago and fell in love with the event.
“Ever since then the tour has been growing and growing and growing, and it went from eight shows to 12 shows to now we’re at 17 shows and every year gets better and it keep us coming back,” Depencier said.
For Buckeye BBQ’s Terry Gaebel, ribfest is a matter of pride about his Midwest heritage.
“Buckeye BBQ is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and just before COVID, we transitioned and I bought the business and we’ve never looked back since,” Gaebel said.
Award-winning ribs, live music and family fun activities is what goes down during rib fest. All three vendors work together all over Western Canada to bring out the best BBQ but when competition time comes around on Sunday, there is no friends on this tour.
