Get ready for a weekend of saucy, smoky barbecue, Toronto, because North America’s biggest rib festival is coming back this weekend.
If the last major rib festival to take over Toronto — whether it was Toronto Ribfest at Centennial Park over the Canada Day long weekend or the Toronto Beaches Ribfest on Father’s Day — left you hungry for yet another weekend full of sticky fingers and beautiful barbecue, you’re in luck.
After taking over Woodbine Park in the Beaches for the Toronto Beaches Ribfest last month, Northern Heat Rib Series, the largest rib and beer tour in North America, now has its sights set on downtown Toronto, this time cranking up the heat at Sankofa (formerly Yonge-Dundas) Square this weekend.
You can expect appearances from some of the top pitmasters and barbecue artists that Ontario has to offer and, while ribs are the name of the game, of course, they’re just one of a broad variety of the charred, juicy, saucy delights you can get messy with at the festival, which will also include chicken, burgers, sausages and brisket.
A variety of international cuisines will be represented, with a lineup of vendors ranging from Greek to Nepalese cuisine.
On top of the barbecue, you can also get your hands on a variety of festival favourites like bloomin’ onions, funnel cakes and corn on the cob, which, now that we think about it, might actually qualify as barbecue, too.
Ironically enough, despite touting itself as “North America’s largest beer and rib tour,” the Downtown Toronto stop on the tour won’t actually include a beer tent, as the other events across Ontario have. This one also won’t have any live music or entertainment, so it’ll just be you, your fellow foodies, and a whole lot of meat.
Maybe it’s for the best, because there’ll be nothing to distract you from savouring your food down to the very last bite — and no late-’90s rock cover band overstimulating you.
The best part of all? It’s totally free to attend. You’ll just have to pay for your own barbecue when the desire hits you and, trust us, when you get one whiff of your smoky surroundings, it most certainly will.
Downtown Toronto Ribfest takes place from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 13, 2025, at 1 Dundas St. E. Festival hours on the Friday and Saturday are from noon to 11 p.m., and on Sunday, from noon to 9 p.m.
