Thursday marked the first Downtowners Rip-Roarin' Ribfest with barbecue sauce on the mouths of attendees.

Mayor John Warford kicked off the festivities with a cutting of the first slab of ribs at 11 Thursday morning.

John Sayler, a 27-year-old home salesman who was at Ribfest over his lunch break, said he loves ribs, especially with a lot of sauce.

"They need to do more culture things like this, because it always gets a good turnout,"he said.

Sayler said he planned to come out again with his wife and would come if the event is held again next year.

Craig Bartholomay, a 47-year-old environmental engineer who also was there for lunch, said the Ribfest was a very good thing.

He ate from only one rib stand and said he will have to come back to try the others because the first filled him up too fast.

"It's good to have one here now, because Fargo has had a rib festival for years,"he said. "But it's too far away to drive - especially with gas prices."

Several contests are scheduled for the event, including a people's choice for best ribber, a sauce-off where local contestants will vie for the Best of Sauce trophy, and a local celebrity judging contest.

Judges are Warford, Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce president Kelvin Hullet, North Dakota Tourism director Sara Otte Coleman and executive director of the Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau Terry Harzinski. They will sample ribs from each national vendor and award first- through third-place trophies.

Ribfest continues through Saturday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Admission tickets are $3 for adults and free for children 12 and younger. Local music and areas for children are avaliable. There will be beer, soda and other concessions avaliable besides the ribs.

(Reach reporter Chris Rosacker at 250-8254 or chris.rosacker@bismarcktribune.com.)