Rotaryfest will be a drive-in event this year (in the Lowe's parking lot)

Rotaryfest is back this year, and while the event won't be like it was pre-pandemic, it won't be virtual like last year either.

This year's Rotaryfest is taking a drive-in/drive-thru format, in a new location (The Lowe's parking lot at the corner of Northern Avenue and Great Northern Road).

The three day event will include Ribfest and local entertainment, as well as the festival's 50/50 draw. The guaranteed jackpot for the 50/50 draw is $25,000.

The full press release from Rotaryfest reads as follows:

Mark your calendars, “Rotaryfest The Sault’s Summer Festival!” is returning to Sault Ste. Marie. The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie will be hosting this celebration of BBQ and local talent from Thursday, July 15 to Saturday, July 17, culminating with the festival’s first ever Rotaryfest 50/50 Draw. Please continue reading or visit www.rotaryfest.com for more information on the modifications made to the festival to keep attendees safe, including a new location.

A drive-in concert will be rocking the Lowe’s parking lot at the corner of Northern Avenue and Great Northern Road for the whole three days. The Sootoday.com Stage sponsored by OLG in conjunction with the Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie & District and Canadian Heritage will feature a variety of music that will have you dancing in your vehicle. Good will donations in support of Rotary’s good works in our community can be made upon entry to the concert.

In the south end of the parking lot, Ribfest will be held as a drive-thru event. Crowd favourites Billy Bones BBQ and Silver Bullet BBQ will be returning with a full menu of ribs, chicken, pulled pork, and more that can be savoured in your vehicle while listening to music or can be enjoyed at home.

It wouldn’t be Rotaryfest without a chance to win big, so this year the club is hosting their first ever Rotaryfest 50/50 Draw with a guaranteed jackpot of $25,000 to be drawn on Saturday, July 17 at 9:45 p.m. and an Early Bird Draw for $5,000 which will take place on Saturday, July 10 at 7:00 pm. You can get your tickets today at www.rotaryfest.com which will support Rotary’s youth and community projects including THRIVE Child Development Centre and Easter Seals Ontario.

“The festival is a very important event for all of our Rotarians and for the city of Sault Ste. Marie. It has always been our club’s way of saying ‘thank you’ for another year of continued support,” shared Michael Stone, the incoming President of the Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie. “We’ve been moved by the generosity of our community during what has been a time of uncertainty and upheaval for many people. We knew that if there was any way that we could hold the festival safely, that we were going to do everything we could to make it happen.”

The Rotary Club asks that anyone planning to attend either part of the festival to PLEASE review the rules and regulations on the Rotaryfest website before arriving. There is important information on the website about which way to approach the festival from and which entrances to use. In the interest of public health and safety, there are also policies put in place with guidance from Algoma Public Health that are subject to change if provincial guidelines change.

Rotaryfest, The Sault’s Summer Festival will be taking place in the Lowe’s parking lot from July 15 to 17. Relish the lip-smackin' BBQ, boogie to continuous free entertainment, and delight in the family memories being created at Rotaryfest!