Saturday's Rockin' Rib Off has live music, food in downtown Selma

The Rockin’ Rib Off is this Saturday on Water Ave. in Selma. The annual rib cooking contest put on by the Blackbelt Benefit Group will be raising money to help Selma’s recovery from the Jan. 12 tornado.

Each year the music line up has grown, with 14 bands this year playing on two stages.

“It’s a music festival and a rib cook off,” Carl Bowline of BBG said.

Headliners this year are Big Nekkid Reunion and Rollin’ in the Hay, but the line up of bands is strong and there will be great music playing all day, he said.

There will be food, and lots of it. The cook teams will be cooking appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. Of course there will be Bar-B-Que all day. The St. James will also be open. 

When you are not eating, there will be plenty of games and activities for kids and adults alike. Bowline said, “McDonald’s is bringing a prize wheel for the kids. We’ll have a bouncy house and a blow up slide for the kids. And Black Belt Rentals out of Marion is bringing an ax throwing trailer for the adults.” 

In conjunction with the Rockin’ Rib Off, Selma native and Music Icon Rick Carter will be hosting the annual Rick Carter Song Writer Festival. This will be on the Play Selma Song Writer Stage. The bands will be playing on the Bridge Tender’s Stage. Music starts at noon and the way the schedule is devised, none of the  musical group should overlap so everyone can hear all of the acts.  

Gates open at 11 a.m. Saturday. Tickets are available at the gate for $20 which gets you in to enjoy the music, the games and all you can eat ribs all day. Kids under 12 free. There will be two check presentations, one from the Alabama Association of RC & D Councils at 11:30 a.m. and one from Rick Carter during the announcement of the cook off winners. 

“I really want to thank all of our sponsors; without them this would not be possible. I hope to see everyone at the Rockin’ Rib Off. It’s going to be a day of family friendly fun for everyone. And remember, it’s all to help Selma recover from the storm,” Bowline said.