Organizers of the Kamloops Ribfest say the larger, gated area of Riverside Park that was licensed for alcohol will be returning this August.

Rotary spokesperson Bryce Herman says that new addition last summer – which was able to accommodate around 15,000 people at a time – was well received.

“It was just absolutely the right thing to do in my mind. We had absolutely zero problems with people over consuming or causing disruption,” Herman said. “We also believe that people are far more responsible when they have their families with them. That echoed all through the park, all three days and I think it is the right way to go.”

“It is certainly a lot of fun. It created far less havoc within the facility of people coming and going out of a beverage garden and worry about ‘can I get in there? can I not get in there?”

Herman says the decision to bring back large family friendly beverage garden is in part due to positive feedback from the community.

“Having that entire park area licensed was absolutely great,” Herman said. “We know we never exceeded our capacity. the energy in the park on Friday and Saturday night, and even on Sunday, was just tremendous.”

“People just having a lot of fun. They’re up dancing by the main stage. Everybody just mixing and mingling. Absolutely phenomenal”

In all, Herman says about 80,000 people made their way through Riverside Park over the course of the three-day long Ribfest last year.

This year’s edition takes over Riverside Park once again between August 9 and 11.

For more details on the Kamloops Ribfest, go here.