MANSFIELD — The traditional Rock-N-Ribs Festival has left the community many fond memories but will remain retired, the North Central State College Foundation said in a reminder notice Tuesday.
Scott Heimann, executive director of NCSC Foundation said the decision was made in November of 2015. A Facebook post this reminded the public of the decision.
The recent post said numerous factors contributed to the decision to retire the event.
“A lot of rib events have closed all around the country,” Hiemann said. “Ribs are a novelty. Expenses have gone up and the cost of the event has gone up. Shortly after (Rock-N-Ribs 2015) we made the decision to allocate money and resources to funding opportunities that are more efficient.
“We were blessed to have the event on our campus for 25 years.”
Check out the photo gallery here from last year’s event.
The rib fest celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2015 and brought in nearly $40,000 which was used for student scholarships. Hiemann said at its peak the event brought in $65,000.
To make up for the loss of fundraising, NCSC Foundation last year transitioned its North Central Ohio Hall of Excellence event each spring into a fundraiser. The event hosts a nationally-recognized public speaker to attract attendance, Heimann said.
Last year, Bill Rancic, the winner of the Apprentice on NBC and a successful entrepreneur, was the guest. In April, the event raised $45,000.
Hiemann said the NCSC Foundation would like to thank those who attended the Rock-N-Ribs festival and hopes the Hall of Excellence can help raise money for students.
“We at the North Central State College Foundation would like to express gratification to those who made it a success — volunteers and sponsers who made it a great event in our community.”
