Classic rockers highlight Ribfest in St. Petersburg

If you like any genre of classic rock, you'll probably want to take a trip up to St. Petersburg this weekend for Ribfest.

The lineup of the three-day festival in Vinoy Park features several acts that used to be fill arenas and stadiums on their own. Or versions of those bands, anyway.

Among the headliners are Bret Michaels, the lead singer of hair metal icons Poison; Southern rockers 38 Special, Robby Steinhardt and the Music of Kansas, which is led by the pomp-rock outfit's violin player; folky hitmakers America; one-hit wonders Georgia Satellites and even Three Dog Night.

Original Three Dog Night member Chuck Negron left the group years ago, and fellow founding member Cory Wells passed away just last month. But the Ribfest website says that Wells wanted the band to continue, so "one of his favorite singers" has been enlisted to take his place. (That singer is not named.)

Even if you're not that much into oldies, there's plenty of other great live music on tap on the festival's three stages, including country rockers the Cadillac Three and bro-country star Chase Rice.

And, of course, Ribfest features ribs. "Ribbers" from around the country --- including Bradenton's J&J Bar-B-Q -- have been flocking to the annual festival for more than a quarter of a century.

Details: Nov. 13-15, Vinoy Park, 500 Bay Shore Drive NE., St. Petersburg. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $16 Friday, $20 Saturday-Sunday advance; $20 Friday, $25 Saturday-Sunday at the gate. Information: ribfest.org.

-- Marty Clear

This story was originally published November 11, 2015 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Classic rockers highlight Ribfest in St. Petersburg ."