Community Advocates Ribfest 2009
August 6-8

Updated Jun 21, 2009

It’s time to volunteer at the Community Advocates Ribfest. Go to the volunteer link to download your new volunteer brochure. We have added a new night to the Beverage Tent so now you can volunteer both Thursday and Saturday. The Kalamazoo/Portage AMBUCS are volunteering on Friday. Plus there are many other jobs. And, if you are a bank teller we would love to have you join us – we need you and your bank to help sell tickets.

Plans are coming together nicely for our Motown Tribute night on Friday, August 7. We are excited that The Spinners (if you are in your 20’s ask your mom about them) and it will be a “throw back” to the 70’s when Motown was the sound of the day. And, then for all you rockers….Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels is going to be a great night of rock-n-roll. We now have a Facebook page (entering the social media network age) and you can click on the pictures of the bands and go directly to their websites. Be our friend in Facebook and we will send you updates. It’s RibfestKalamazoo.

For those of you who love a great up-n-coming, going to be famous band – it’s Stellar Road. They are a \\\"college band - bar none\\\" from Chicago and they have played in Grant Park and know how to entertain.

As always we promise you a weekend filled with great music and ribs and beverages that will keep you cool. Most importantly is that the weekend is a huge fundraising venture for Community Advocates. In fact, their annual advocacy programs depend on Ribfest to make a big profit. Last year the event only netted $39,000; the goal this year is $50,000.

At the event last year, you might have noticed a Community Advocates Tent. This year the tent will feature entrepreneurial businesses run by individuals with a developmental disability. This year we hope more people purchase the arts and crafts and products. Make sure to stop by the tent and check out the great products; we are calling it our cottage industries tent.

Also new this year United HealthCare is a sponsor and they are hosting a healthcare plaza filled with great things to do and learn. More information on that as it developed in July.

As part of our promise, we have a great Family Day planned for Saturday hosted by Target, filled with cool things for children including hands-on activities, arts and craft projects, free face painting, bouncing adventures, and snow cones. And keeping with our promise to highlight the fantastic flavor of Ribs, we will host a cooking class on Saturday at 2 p.m. The national rib vendors and local rib experts will comprise a panel discussion on the secret to great ribs. Of course there will be music from the stage.

The WRKR Best Ribs in Kalamazoo Contest is Thursday, August 6 at 8 p.m. This is where restaurants in the area compete for the designation of the Best Ribs in Kalamazoo. If you are a restaurant or catering company and would like to be on the mailing list, please contact eventkzoo@chartermi.net. It’s fun event, free to participate, and the winners get the rights to purchase a vendor booth “slot” the following year.

If you have any questions or want to help, you can always give us an email at eventkzoo@chartermi.net and we will do what we can to help.

What is Ribfest?

Ribfest is Community Advocate’s major fundraising event. Thanks to the support of the people who attended and the businesses that sponsored, $39,000 was raised for programs that are targeted to improve the quality of life for all, but especially to improve the quality of life for our community individuals with developmental disabilities. The money raised through Ribfest supports programs in our community helping people who live in your neighborhoods, work at your place of employment, and maybe go to school with your kids.

Sponsors are the life-line of Ribfest. If your company is interested, please call or e-mail us. Sponsorship packages start at $350 and extend to $2,000. Great exposure, free tickets and a new VIP tent are the benchmark amenities found with every sponsorship level. Plus as a sponsor you are supporting a great community event and an even better charity.

Great ribs, fantastic entertainment, and cooling beverages await you at Ribfest 2009. Stay tuned to this website for updates on: entertainment, the opportunity for on-site corporate picnics, and the availability of Rib Bucks allowing you to pre-purchase tickets, entry passes, and buy food (sold in $5 increments).

For more information, please contact Deb Droppers, 269.388.2830 or .