Ribfest organizers are giving this weekend’s festivities high marks, but are already thinking about changes for next year.
The Naperville Exchange Club’s 27th annual fest ran from Thursday through Sunday at Knoch Park featuring food, live music, a carnival and fireworks.
“I think on most fronts we’re pretty happy,” marketing and public relations chair Don Emery said Monday.
Attendance figures were not yet available, but the park never had to close for capacity, according to Emery. He said he was pleased to see large crowds every day on the south end of the park where the ribbers, carnival and family area were located.
Among the crowd at the carnival on opening day was the Davila family of Naperville.
“It’s great for the family and then we (adults) come back at night for fun,” Terri Davila said as her 6-year-old daughter Madison climbed up a rope ladder.
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Emery said quite a few people gathered on the north side of the park for the main stage acts that included George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Blue Oyster Cult, Foghat, the BoDeans, Roger Hodgson, Love and Theft, The Henningsens and Brynn Marie. However, he hopes to attract even bigger names and bigger crowds next year.
“The good thing was most people felt like the quality of the music all four days was really good, it’s just a question of how well known are the acts in some cases,” he said.
One of Emery’s favorite moments this year was seeing people check out the fest on the first-ever Hispanic Day featuring Latin music and a Mexican restaurant. The concept, which was meant to draw more people to the fest, was initially met with some hesitation, but Emery said the reaction on Saturday was positive.
“We put a lot into figuring that out and doing it right,” Emery said. “I had this vision of me standing in the middle of the park saying where is everybody. I’m not sure if that was a vision or a nightmare. I was so happy (on Saturday) to see people coming.”
He said the club would build on the idea next year along with another new feature, a bags tournament. The tournament went well logistically, he said, but he hopes to draw more people by adding new ways to enter in addition to competing in preliminary rounds at local bars.
The club also may look at giving people more places to get some shade next year. All in all though, Emery said the group lucked out with weather with the exception of a 45 minute sprinkle on Saturday.
“I’m not sure who is in charge of weather, but they get pretty high marks,” Emery said.
There were also no major medical or crime incidents at the fest this year, he said.
The Exchange Club hopes to get more input from a survey performed this year asking visitors where they came from and what drew them to the event.
Proceeds from Ribfest go to groups that are working to prevent child abuse and domestic violence.
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