Naperville’s annual Ribfest will be held July 1 – July 4, in Knoch Park, 724 S. West St. (Photo courtesy Naperville Ribfest Facebook page)

The food, music and fireworks and more that go into making the Naperville Ribfest a must-attend summer event are all for a good cause. The festival is presented by the Exchange Club of Naperville, an organization dedicated to the elimination of child abuse and domestic violence. The club works with the city of Naperville and the Naperville Park District to donate Ribfest’s proceeds to these efforts. More than $14.5 million has been raised.

This year’s event will be held July 1 – July 4, in Knoch Park, 724 S. West St. In addition to being a community-wide celebration, attendees can enjoy a wide selection of indulgent eats, a lineup of talented live musicians and various children’s activities to keep the entire family entertained.

With delicious barbecue ribs, pulled pork, barbecue chicken and tasty sauces, Ribfest vendors pride themselves on their individual recipes. No two are the same. Ribfest is also a nationally recognized barbecue contest. The 12 rib vendors compete for cash prizes and honors in three categories: Best Ribs, Best Sauce and Kid’s Choice.

Other types of food, as well as drinks and desserts, will be sold.

Musical entertainment starts at about 4 p.m. with well-known local bands, with nationally known headliners performing at 8 p.m.

The July 1 headliner, the rock band 3 Doors Down, will perform on the Navistar Main Stage at 8 p.m. The Mississippi band is best known for its hits, “Kryptonite,” “Loser” and “Duck and Run.” Their 2000 debut album, “The Better Life,” sold more than 6 million copies, and was followed by “Away from the Sun,” which sold more than 4 million.

Sheryl Crow will headline the Ribfest’s Saturday night show. The Grammy-winning artist will perform on the Navistar Main Stage 8 p.m. July 2. Crow has sold more than 35 million albums. She has released eight studio albums, with seven hitting the Top 10 in the charts. Her most recent album is “Feels Like Home.”

Lee Brice will headline the Ribfest’s Sunday night show. The chart-topping Nashville hitmaker will perform on the Navistar Main Stage 8 p.m. July 3. He is now known for his 2014 performance on the Academy of Country Music telecast, where he picked up the trophy for Song of the Year.

Tickets for these shows are on sale for $15 to $125.

The annual Fourth of July fireworks display will close out the festivities at 9:30 p.m.

For more information about everything Ribfest has to offer and to buy tickets, go to www.ribfest.net.