Organizers of Cambridge Ribfest have decided to cancel this year’s event after vendors backed out of the festival.
“It’s devastating,” said Raquel Blackwell, co-director of the festival. “It breaks my heart that we’re not able to do it.”
Prior to the pandemic, the non-profit Cambridge Ribfest was a three-day festival. Money raised went to the charity Health, Hunger and Humanity. Last year, in order to stay within public health guidelines, organizers changed it to a one-day drive-thru event.
Blackwell said the plan was to do the drive-thru event again this year, however, the vendors didn’t want to.
“Unfortunately, [it was] just a straight up business decision,” Blackwell said, explaining vendors didn’t want to participate in a one-day festival when they could take on a three-day festival elsewhere instead.
She said pulling off a three-day festival wasn’t in the cards this year, adding that finding volunteers to staff an entire weekend is a challenge.
“That has always been our challenge in a normal year, never mind a COVID short notice year.”
Cambridge Ribfest said plans are in the works to bring back the three-day event in 2023.
Recruiting volunteers has also been a struggle for the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival.
“It’s getting more challenging,” said Jamie Reid, chairperson of the Apple Butter and Cheese Festival.
After a two year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Apple Butter and Cheese Festival is making a comeback this September.
Reid said while he’s excited to welcome back community members, he is concerned people won’t show up to the event because of the pandemic.
“It does take a lot of man hours and money to operate the festival,” said Reid. “In order to make that money back, we need people to show up.”