VW Rib Fest, 127 Yard Sale this weekend

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

This weekend is another busy one in Van Wert County, starting today with the 127 Yard Sale and continuing with the Van Wert Rib Fest on Friday and Saturday.

The 127 Yard Sale is billed as the “World’s Longest Yard Sale” and stretches 690 miles from Gadsden, Alabama, to five miles north of Addison, Michigan.

Here in Van Wert County, local residents have embraced the event, with many individuals and organizations, such as churches, getting involved in the annual event.

The 127 Yard Sale runs through Sunday, with a wide variety of items for sale along the highway in Van Wert County.

The Van Wert Rib Fest, which was originally created as an accompanying event to the 127 Yard Sale by the Van Wert Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, is in its 12th year and offers a number of events and activities.

The event, which runs from 5 p.m. Friday until late Saturday night, offers a variety of food vendors, events such as a Wiffleball tournament, the “When Pigs Fly” fundraiser, pig races, a rib eating contest, and a car show, as well as quality musical entertainment.

This year’s Rib Fest will include the following rib vendors, After Hours BBQ of Orrville, BG’s Main Event of Rittman, Low & Slow BBQ of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Pigtails BBQ of West Salem, Smoke Shack BBQ of Pickerington, and Timmy’s BBQ of Garrett, Indiana.

Other food vendors include CJ’s Shaved Ice, Rismiller Concessions, Sycamore Ice Cream, Cumberland Kettle Corn, Audrey’s Pumpkin Rolls & Gourmet Cake Rolls, and Wink’s Treats.

At 6 p.m. Friday, Gibson’s BBQ will sponsor a rib-eating contest featuring county first-responders.

Entertainment for the night will start with local duo Backlit 419, featuring Bayley Tow and Eli Jones, at 5 p.m. Friday. At 6:30, Country group Shelby County Line will perform, while the last musical act on Friday is The Poets and Pirates: Kenny Chesney Tribute Band at 9 p.m.

Saturday’s musical entertainment begins with Hot-N-Nasty at 4:30 p.m., followed by Moving in Stereo: The Cars Tribute at 6:45 p.m., with the final act of the night Breakout: The Bon Jovi Experience performing from 9 p.m. until midnight.

The 12th annual Rib Fest Wiffleball Tournament will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, with a Corn Hole Tournament beginning at 1 Saturday afternoon. There will be cash prizes and a 100 percent payout.

The Rib Fest Car Show will begin with registration at 3 p.m. Saturday (preregistration can be completed online with a downloadable entry form accessed on the Rib Fest website at www.vanwertribfest.com. Registration fee is $10 for each vehicle and categories include Best GM, Ford, Mopar, Import, Truck, and Patina, as well as Farthest Traveled, Oldest Car, and Young Gun (young restorer). Custom trophies will be presented at 7 Saturday evening.

Other events include the United Way of Van Wert County’s “When Pigs Fly” pig drop at 4 p.m. Saturday. Grand prize for the pig closest to the target is $500, while a $100 second prize for the pig farthest away from the target. Pigs are available at the United Way office, 136 E. Main St. in Van Wert and any United Way board member, while any remaining pigs will be sold just prior to the pig drop on Saturday afternoon. Pigs are $5 each or five for $20.

Pig races sponsored by Van Wert County 4-H will follow at 4:30 p.m., with all proceeds benefiting county 4-H clubs. Those participating can bet on which pig they think will win each respective race.

Parking and admission to the Rib Fest are free, thanks to the generosity of local sponsors, which include Cooper Farms, Avangrid Renewables, Edward Jones Investments-Ryan Lindemann, Citizens National Bank, WERT/WKSD Radio, Steve Wood Trucking, Dale and Marcia Davies, First Financial Bank, Leland Smith Insurance, Scott Equity Exchange, Purmort Brothers, Young’s Trash Service, Ayers Mechanical, First Bank of Berne, Van Wert Propane, Martha Balyeat, Koch Law Office, Miller Precision, Van Wert Manor, and Tisha Fast State Farm Insurance.