2025 Vendor Applications are now open! Click here to apply

About Rotary Club of Oshawa Ribfest

For more than 20 years now the Rotary Club of Oshawa has been hosting Ribfest! Since 2002 the event has raised more than one million dollars and has earned the title of Durham Region’s longest running Ribfest!

The City of Oshawa has graciously donated the space at Lakeview Park to hold one of the city’s most popular events each summer. Each year more than 30,000 people descend on the event to listen to live entertainment, check out the vendors and enjoy mouthwatering food options including ribs, chicken and much more!

More than 250 volunteers contribute to the success of the event by donating their time, ensuring the annual event continues to be a success.

Money raised from Ribfest goes directly back into the community through local charities and not-for-profit clubs. One of the clubs supported through Oshawa Rotary’s fundraising efforts, including Ribfest, is the 151 Chadburn Squadron with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. For more than 80 years now our club has been proud to support the Air Cadets and the valuable lessons kids from our community are able to learn including leadership skills, public speaking, outdoor training and other invaluable skills.

Rotary Club of Oshawa is also involved with Partners in Service which provides services to those in need. The club also offers scholarships for local high school students and UOIT scholarships. Outside our community Rotary worldwide has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects that help people in need around the world get clean water, medical care, literacy classes and other essentials.

The members of the Rotary Club of Oshawa wish to extend a sincere thank you for your continued support. Without you we could not continue to host the annual Ribfest, and we appreciate how it has become a tradition for so many families. We look forward to another great year!

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Friday 12pm to 11pm, Saturday 11am to 11pm, Sunday 11am

to 7pm (Friday and Saturday gates will close to entry at 10:00 PM. On Sunday gates will close at 7:00PM)

Lakeview Park Oshawa (55 Lakeview Park Avenue, Oshawa ON L1H 8S7). To view a map click here

Free! There is NO COST to enter the park. However, at the gates we will be asking for donations. Donations are strictly at your discretion.

Yes! You can find more details HERE

For health and safety reasons, pets are not allowed inside the park.

Most vendors ONLY accept CASH, there are ATM’s on site.

Some rib teams have beef ribs as well as pork ribs. Ribbers and other food vendors offer chicken, salads, coleslaw, baked beans, pizza, french fries, doughnuts, ice cream, roast corn, sweets & treats and more.

Yes. Some vendors offer alternative options. Gluten free sauces available – ask the Ribbers

The short answer is No. Click here to learn more.

There are designated parking lots clearly marked along Simcoe Street.

Yes, directly across from the main entrance of the park.

Ribfest is organized by the Rotary Club of Oshawa. 100% of the net proceeds goes to support important local and international causes while holding a fun and safe event for all ages. To learn more about Rotary Club of Oshawa, go to https://www.oshawarotary.ca/

Click HERE to sign up as a Volunteer for the 2024 Oshawa Ribfest. 

Volunteer Application

2025 Ribfest
August 15-17, 2025
Friday - 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday – 11:00 am – 11:00pm
Sunday – 11:00 am – 7:00 pm

VOLUNTEER INFORMATION

VOLUNTEER DUTIES AND SCHEDULE PLEASE SELECT AVAILABLE DATES & TIMES FOR PREFERRED DUTIES – Please note first shift of the day starts 30 minutes before opening

Ribfest Info Zone Welcome Tent
Parking & Gate Stewards
Gate Team/Donations
Event Experience Team
Wheel Barrow Raffle Ticket Sales (Must be 19 years of age or older )
Lounge Team Beverage Ticket Sellers (Must be 19 years of age or older )
Lounge Team Servers (Must be 19 years of age or older )
Children’s Concierge
Dunk Tank Facilitators
(Saturday and Sunday only – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Volunteer Duties
Thank you for expressing an interest to volunteer at the Oshawa Rotary Ribfest. For shifts that run all day, we ask that you ensure your replacement arrives before you leave. If you are a student, please bring along your Student Volunteer Sheet. Water is provided to all volunteers. A food voucher will also be provided for anyone who volunteers for a minimum of one 4 hour shift.

Ribfest Info Zone/Welcome Tent
This serves as the information center and people’s choice voting station. They provide voting slips and encourage everyone to vote for their favourite ribbers and sauces. You will also help out counting votes. This position is primarily seated.

Event Experience Team
Event Experience Team help ensure attendees have an amazing experience while helping to keep the venue sparkling clean. You will ensure attendees have an enjoyable time by ensuring dining area table are free from garbage. You will help with our Reduce, Reuse, Recyle philosophy by ensuring appropriate contents are placed in the appropriate areas. You may be asked to help out in other areas of the venue as needed (ie: giving other volunteers a break). This position is primarily standing, however, can take breaks if needed.

Gate Team/Donations
Gate team volunteers are located at the Main Entrance. They will greet everyone, check bags and backpacks for safety purposes and will also ensure no one is leaving the premises with alcohol. They will also invite donations from attendees. This position requires standing for long periods of time.

Lounge Team Beverage Ticket Sellers (Must be 19 years of age or older)
The Lounge Team ticket sellers greet attendees and sell beverage tickets. These volunteers will check identification, work with cash and direct attendees to debit machine locations as needed. This position is primarily seated.

Lounge Team Servers (Must be 19 years of age or older)
The Lounge Team servers will fill coolers with product and serve beverages to attendees to go with mouth watering ribs on a hot summer day! Lounge Team Servers must be 19 years of age or older. This position is standing only.

Wheel Barrow Raffle Ticket Sales (Must be 19 years of age or older)
Each year we raffle off two wheel barrows of alcohol. We require ticket sellers and volunteers to push around the wheel barrow to entice ticket sales. This requires a significant time standing. Ticket sellers will collect cash for the raffle tickets.

Parking & Gate Stewards
Our parking stewards will direct traffic in our 3 parking lots, ensuring that attendees leave appropriate spacing for other attendees and emergency vehicles to enter and exit as needed.
Our gate stewards will monitor the gate at the back of the ribbers to ensure that the area is utilized by authorized volunteers, ribbers, vendors, and suppliers only.
This position alternates between sitting and standing, depending on traffic flow. Chairs and umbrellas are provided.

Children’s Concierge (Saturday and Sunday only – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
The Children’s Concierge will ensure friendly and fair admission for our children to face painting, caricature artist and bouncy castle events. You will also hand out delicious and nutritious apple cider freezies to the children attending. If business is slow, you may go out to the crowd to solicit attendees to participate in these fun and free events.
Dunk Tank Facilitators (Saturday and Sunday only – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
As the Dunk Tank Facilitators, you will encourage attendees to pay funds to dunk those sitting on the plank. Attendees will include Rotarians, Dignitaries and prominent business owners of our community.
This will involve working with cash and/or retrieving and handing out balls to dunk those brave souls! You may also need to help some attendees ensure no dunkee leaves dry 😊