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When Junaid Khan and his friends were growing up in Scarborough, Ont., the local rib festival was a tantalizing, but unsatisfying addition to the neighbourhood for them.
“We used to see the smoke and everything, and we would go, but we couldn’t eat anything because halal was not being served,” Khan said Saturday while taking in the sights, sounds and smoky aroma of the second annual Halal Ribfest he has brought to Ottawa. “We could only have onions or fries.”
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Muslims who observe halal dietary laws eschew pork and alcohol products and only consume meat that has been butchered under Islamic guidelines.
Inspired by their desire to sample the succulence of barbecued meat, the four friends organized the first Halal Ribfest in Toronto in 2022, ensuring that all food offerings were halal. Instead of pork ribs, for example, there were halal beef ribs, smoked beef brisket and chicken options.
Last year, the event expanded to become a tour of 25 cities across North America. This year’s tour kicked off in Virginia on June 21-23, then travelled to New York, Michigan, Chicago, Montreal and Toronto, and it winds down in Dallas on Sept. 20-22. Dates in Calgary and Vancouver are also scheduled this month.
Khan, 33, says the festival is designed to bring together people from all backgrounds. “It’s not only for Muslim communities, it’s to bring all the communities together,” he said. “With halal, all the communities can come together and eat.”
Ottawa’s edition continues Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. on the Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park. In addition to the grillers and pit masters, the festival features halal food trucks, a pop-up market, live performances and kids’ activities.
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Khan said last year’s event in the nation’s capital was a big success, with attendance of about 15,000 people. “They told us to bring it back to the city,” he said. “Everybody loved it.”
This weekend’s rainy weather is great for barbecue, he added. “It’s rain or shine, and people tend to come in the rain,” Khan said, noting the tented areas for eating. “When it’s cloudy and overcast, they love that for barbecue.”
Visitors are also welcome to bring umbrellas.
Tickets range from $7.50 for youths and seniors to $15 for adults, available online at eventbrite.ca.
Children under 13 are admitted free of charge.
Food items are sold separately by the individual vendors. More information is available online at www.halalribfest.com/tour-2024/ottawa.
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