photo: abakedcreation/Flickr CC
Summer is the unofficial start to Toronto’s food festival season, with delivious food events extending well into fall. Sample cuisines around the globe, meet celebrity chefs, feast on the best foods from local restaurants and artisans, partake in centuries-old food-making traditions, and most important…eat!
Here’s the rundown of all the best family-friendly food festivals happening in Toronto in summer and fall of 2014.
Note that festivals marked as “free” may charge fees for certain activities and foods.
July
Ribfest
This annual four-day showdown awards the masters of ribs and sauce, pulled pork and chicken, plus music performances on several stages and daily activities for kids.
Centennial Park, 256 Centennial Park Rd. | www.torontoribfest.com
free | June 27–July 1
Summerlicious
For two weeks in July, more than 200 restaurants in Toronto participate by offering reasonably priced three-course prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus. select Toronto restaurants | www1.toronto.ca
$15–$45 | July 4–20
International Street Food Fest
Sample gourmet international street food from Toronto’s top eateries.
Eaton Chelsea Hotel Market Garden Patio, 33 Gerrard St. W. (Yonge St. & Gerrard St. W.) | www.joylister.com/international-street-food-fest
$45 + HST | July 18
Taste of Thailand Festival
Canada’s largest Thai community event, with Thai cooking demonstrations, authentic Thai food from Thai restaurants, fruit-carving demonstrations as well as muay thai and cultural Thai dancing.
Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen St. W. | www.tasteofthailand.ca
free | July 19 & 20
Mississauga Rotary Ribfest
This event hosts 14 vendors selling barbecue ribs and chicken, plus live, locally focused entertainment on the main stage and the exclusive Singfest amateur singing talent competition.
Celebration Square, 300 City Centre Dr., Mississauga | www.mississaugaribfest.com
free | July 17–20
Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival
This local-focused festival west of Toronto features tastings, talks, and sampling events with Ontario chefs, wineries, breweries, cheese makers, farmers, producers, and culinary stars. This year, the top young chefs under 40 from across Canada will attend and the Kids Tent will hold lots of activities and food for kids.
Downtown Stratford | www.visitstratford.ca
free | July 19 & 20
Ontario Oyster Festival
Tickets to this oyster festival at the famed Rodney’s Oyster House get you a plate of oysters or mussels and two drinks. Profits support Environmental Defense.
469 King St. W. | rodneysoysterhouse.com
$40/$32 | July 20
Taste of Toronto
Fort York is transformed into a “foodie wonderland” for four days with a food market and 14 of the city’s best restaurants serving alfresco half-day feasts.
Fort York, 100 Garrison Rd. | tasteoftoronto.com
adults $35/$30, kids $15 (under 5 free) | July 24–27
August
Scarborough Ribfest
Watch local “ribbers” compete for the best ribs, sauce, chicken, and pulled pork and sample everything yourself. There’s also live entertainment and a kids zone.
Thomson Memorial Park, 1005 Brimley Rd., Scarborough | www.scarboroughribfest.com
free | Aug. 1–4
Taste of the Danforth
Canada’s largest street festival in Toronto’s Greektown, with restaurants offering food from all over the globe, with a particular focus on souvlaki, shish kebob, gyros and other Greek specialties. You’ll also find performances and activities for kids.
Danforth Avenue east of Broadview Ave. | tasteofthedanforth.com
free | Aug. 8–10
Pan American Food Festival
This festival highlights the best in food from 41 countries in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. This year’s featured country is Peru.
585 Dundas St. E. | panamfoodfest.com
free | Aug. 8–10
Jerkfest
Join the fun with the annual jerk chicken cookoff, a hot and spicy jerk chicken eating competition, jerk seasoning workshops, plus entertainment and a kids zone.
Centennial Park, 256 Centennial Park Rd. | www.jerkfestival.ca
free | Aug. 9 & 10
TO Food Fest
Try dishes from top foodie-reviewed restaurants and other local favourites from established and aspiring chefs.
Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, 4183 Sheppard Ave. E., Scarborough | tofoodfest.com
$2 | Aug. 10
Hot & Spicy Food Festival
If you like it hot, head to this food festival at the Harbourfront Centre for a hot pepper scavenger hunt, habanero sauce secrets, spicy snacks vendors, a spicy-foods market, an International Iron Chef competition, and music performances.
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. | www.harbourfrontcentre.com/summer/hotandspicy/
free | Aug. 15–17
CNE
If you attend the Canadian National Exhibition only for the food, you won’t be alone. Among the culinary highlights are the CNE Ribfest, almost daily presentations by celebrity chefs, the Food Truck Frenzy, and classic carnival treats and ooey gooey fried foods, such as last year’s main attraction: deep-fried butter.
Exhibition Place, 200 Princes’ Blvd. | theex.com
adults $18, kids $14 (under 5 free); $50 family | Aug. 15–Sept. 1
September
Veg Food Fest
At this vegetarian food festival, sample food around the world, offered by 130 vendors, restaurants, and bakeries and see talks and cooking demos from chefs and food experts.
Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. | festival.veg.ca
free | Sept. 5–7
Feast of Fields
Spend a day in the country sampling the best in organic food from local farmers, chefs, and artisans at this event celebrating all things organic in Ontario.
Cold Creek Conservation Area, 14125 11th Concession, Nobleton | www.feastoffields.org
free | Sept. 7
Pioneer Harvest Festival
History lives at this Mennonite and Pennsylvania-German festival with traditional homemade foods like pies, sausages, apple butter, and ice cream. Other attractions include handmade quilts, horse-drawn wagon rides, historic ale samplings, and traditional demonstrations like candle-dipping, sausage-making, and apple schnitzing.
Black Creek Pioneer Village, 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy. | www.blackcreek.ca/v2/events/pioneer-festival.dot
free | Sept. 20
Toronto Garlic Festival
Love garlic? Don’t miss this ode to the humble bulb with opportunities to sample many varied strains of Ontario garlic and garlic-infused food and drink. See demos by farmers, gardeners, chefs, home cooks, and food experts.
Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave. | www.torontogarlicfestival.ca
$5 | Sep. 21
Soupalicious Toronto
Taste amazing soup creations from participating Toronto restaurants and chefs.
Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St. | www.soupalicious.ca
prices TBD | Sept. 28
October
Toronto Chocolate Festival
Chocolate lovers unite for the 9th annual Toronto Chocolate Festival, with chocolate tours, the Luxury Chocolate Show, with tastings, classes, and demos; a chocolate high tea, a chocolate ball, and more.
various locations | www.torontochocolatefestival.com
ages 13+ $25, kids 5–12 $15 (under 5 free) | Oct. 11–Nov. 2
Delicious Food Show
This three-day food event includes celebrity chef appearances and book signings, hundreds of exhibitors, food trucks, workshops, and cooking demos.
Exhibition Place, 100 Princes’ Blvd. | www.deliciousfoodshow.com
adults $22/$20, ages 13–17 $10 | Oct. 17–19
