By Brooklyn Dean
On Saturday, September 26, 2026, the biggest celebration in downtown Defiance set off. Organized by the Main Street and Visitors Bureau, the 20th Annual Rib Fest began. Clinton Street started to buzz as the irresistible aroma of smoky barbeque, freshly squeezed lemonade, and sunshine, as live music began to fill the air.
The kickoff to autumn brought local businesses, volunteers, families, and residents to have a rockin’ good time. The festival brought ribs, cold drinks, sweet treats, and live performances from the three winners of the Battles of the Bands. Superhawk, Johnny & the Cosmos and the Letterbox Band took the stage, getting the crowd and stage warmed up for the headliner band, REkT who rocked the rest of the night away.
To make it even more amusing, the Rib Fest had a contest among the ten barbeque vendors present. Basing the votes on sauce, tenderness and overall taste, judges and the community get to vote on who they believed had the best ribs. If picked, the vendor with the most votes received either the Judge’s Choice award, Walter Nickerson Award (best sauce), or the people’s Choice award. For the first time in 20 years, The Sweetwater Chophouse (located at 211 Carpenter Road, Defiance, OH 43512), received all three rewards for the night!
Beyond the delicious food and the phenomenal music lineup, the festival created a bond within the Defiance community, fulfilling one of the very goals the Main Street and Visitors Bureau were looking forward to achieving.
Each year, the Rib Fest takes place on the last Saturday in September. Be sure to mark your calendars for next year’s Rib Fest! For more information, visit Rib Fest – Defiance, OH or go to the Defiance Rib Fest Facebook page, Defiance Rib Fest | Facebook.