Photo by Scott McCloskey A lunchtime crowd visits the many food vendors set up for the 10th annual Ohio Valley Rib & Chicken Cook Off at Wheeling’s Heritage Port Saturday.

WHEELING — With the aroma of barbecue meats filling the area surrounding Wheeling’s Heritage Port Saturday, hundreds of people visited the 10th annual Ohio Valley Rib & Chicken Cook Off under ideal weather conditions.

The event which was held in conjunction with the Wheeling 250 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge offered plenty of food and craft vendors, free live musical entertainment and concluded with a large fireworks display.

Bill Brooks, chairman of the cookoff, said it was a perfect day for people to just get together and enjoy the festival and waterfront.

“People are walking around and talking with each other, and that’s the purpose of the festival,” Brooks explained, while setting up supplies for the judge’s table in a shaded area of the waterfront.

Brooks said there was something for the entire family at the festival, as participants in the rib and chicken cookoff were vying for the most points to win the Carl Carenbauer Grand Champion trophy. Brooks said all the vendors compete for a first or second place trophy in ribs and chicken flavor and quality, and the vendor who accumulates the most overall points wins the grand champion trophy.

As dozens of people walked about trying to select which vendor to order food from — Mary Otey, with Otey’s Smoke House of Wheeling was busy preparing food for their customers.

Otey said this is the third year they have participated in the rib and chicken cookoff and it is always a fun event. She said they participate in a variety of festivals and fairs across the Ohio Valley and the chicken and rib cookoff always provides a great platform for their local business.

“It’s the Ohio Valley Rib and Chicken (cookoff), so we want to keep the trophies here,” Otey explained with a smile.

In addition to ribs and chicken, Otey’s offered customers pulled pork and briskets. She said it’s always nice to talk to the patrons and other vendors at the annual festival.

“Everybody really gets along and pulls together,” she added.

Carenbauer Distributing Corporation continues to be the “super sponsor” of the event year-in and year-out, according to Brooks.