CELORON - If you like barbecue ribs and would enjoy a chance at winning a new car, Lucille Ball Memorial Park is the place to be starting Wednesday.
The 2011 Celoron Rib-Fest and Classic Car Show will fire up at 3 p.m. Wednesday with local and national vendors serving their unique barbecue cuisine. The festival will run from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and continue from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Rib vendors returning this year will be Sgt. Oink's BBQ, My Happy Place, Smokin' Joe's BBQ, Bulldog Barbeque of Jamestown and Hog Wild BBQ Co. of Warren. Other food and prizes will be offered by other vendor booths, with the number of merchants almost doubling from last year. The 2011 rib fest also includes an expanded beer and wine pavilion where people can enjoy their meal by the lake while enjoying an adult beverage. Willow Creek Winery will be donating all proceeds to the local Meals on Wheels from its $1 wine tasting event.
The newest addition to the rib fest this year is the corporate sponsorship of Kia of Jamestown. Celoron Mayor John Keeney said the car dealership is offering the opportunity for someone to win a new car. From a closet to the pin golf competition to a bean bag toss event, there will be several opportunities each day of the festival for people to qualify to win the new car.
''Their (Kia of Jamestown) involvement visually is going to be important,'' Keeney said. ''Plenty of people will have the opportunity (to win a new car). We hope it happens and we hope there is enthusiasm about it.''
Harley Davidson of Jamestown will sponsor bike night with special parking along the boulevard at Lucille Ball Memorial Park all day. The classic car show sponsored by Southern Tier Classic Chevy Club of Lakewood will be held Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., with judging thereafter. There will be an expanded kids zone sponsored by Cummins Engine and live bands all four days in the Desi Arnaz Bandshell.
The bands include Richie Leeper & Soul Revival from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday; Porcelain Bus Drivers from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday; Derek Davis & The Tasty Groove from 5 to 7:45 p.m. Friday; Smokehouse from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday; Total Chaos from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday; Pressure Sensitive from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and Synergy from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday.
This was the second year the village handled producing the rib fest. Keeney said the committee and community volunteers were more experienced this year, which made scheduling the event simpler than last year.
''It was much, much easier from the standpoint that people involved in the process had the experience of doing it in the past,'' he said. ''They're always hard-working, but the experience of having done it the previous year was a big difference.''
Keeney said along with the Celoron Hose Company No. 1 and the Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association, the Lakewood-Celoron Moose Club is also helping with rib fest activities.
''The extra help and extra hands made the process easier,'' Keeney said.
The mayor said it is important to remember that a vast majority of the proceeds from the event go to help local organizations. He said community groups that volunteer at the event like the Civil Air Patrol, the Children's Safety Village, The Resource Center, St. Susan Center and other organizations benefit financially from the rib fest. Keeney said the vendors get their money, the village gets $2,000 and the rest of the proceeds go to local volunteer groups.
''It is not intended to be a big profit-maker for the village of Celoron, but an opportunity for community organizations.
For more information, visit www.celoronribfest.com.
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