Taste of the Danforth to return after 2-year hiatus

The City of Toronto and the Ontario government pledged $200,000 towards the return of the Taste of the Danforth.

The Ontario government and the City of Toronto are teaming up to guarantee that the Taste of the Danforth, Canada’s largest Greek street festival, will return this year “bigger and better than ever before” after a two-year hiatus.

The province announced on Thursday morning that it will invest $200,000 in this year’s festival, which will be matched by the city.

“This is one of the most iconic festivals in the entire city, drawing over a million people over three days. It’s unacceptable that this hasn’t been around,” Ontario Tourism, Culture and Gaming Minister Stan Cho said in an interview with CP24. “The government had to step in.”

Cho says it is one-time funding, which he hopes will get the festival back on its feet.

“When we saw that the festival may not happen again for a third consecutive year, we thought, well, it’s about time that we step in and make sure that that wasn’t the case,” the minister said.

“We just need to inject life back into the Danforth in the dog days of August to make sure that these businesses understand that this government understands the importance of the Taste of the Danforth and we’re very excited to partner with the City of Toronto this year to make sure that it happens.”

The popular summertime event, which typically takes place during the second weekend of August in the city’s Greektown neighbourhood, has been cancelled for the last two years.

In 2024, organizers cited funding constraints as the reason why they put the annual street festival on hold. Last summer, however, no official reason was given.

In a statement on Thursday, Mayor Olivia Chow said the city is proud to partner with the province to support the “iconic event.”

“This festival is one of Toronto’s most beloved summer traditions, bringing people together to celebrate Greek culture, support local businesses, and experience the diversity that makes our city so vibrant,” Chow said.

‘We need to bring this festival back’

Cho says Premier Doug Ford asked him to look at “every avenue possible” to bring the festival back this year after hearing from small business owners.

“We couldn’t sit idly by and watch the festival go by the wayside another year. And the premier was very clear about that,” the minister said.

“The time was right to say that we need to bring this festival back before it loses its momentum,” he added. “We know people still remember it fondly.”

Earlier this year, Ford committed to providing funding to bring the festival back.

“I miss the Taste of the Danforth,” the premier said in an unrelated news conference in February. “I’ll talk to our friend, the boss there (Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow), and I’ll see if we can put money in there to revitalize the Taste of the Danforth.”

Cho says the Taste of the Danforth draws nearly $100 million in tourism spending.

“I’ve worked the Taste of the Danforth every single year since I was a teenager,” the minister said. “I’ve seen firsthand how important this festival is, not just for the small business owners that run these mom-and-pop shops all up and down the Danforth, but for the great people of the City of Toronto who are accustomed to coming to this iconic festival in the heat of August.”

Organizers of the Taste of the Danforth welcomed funding from both levels of government.

“For more than three decades, Taste of the Danforth has been part of the rhythm of summer in Toronto. We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome people back to the Danforth,” Tony Pethakas, chair of the Greektown on the Danforth BIA, said in a statement.

The BIA noted this year’s edition will include “affordable tasting menus, live music, cultural performances, family activities, sports zones, and free entertainment.”

The Taste of the Danforth will be held between Broadview and Jones Avenues from Aug. 7 to Aug. 9.

With files from Joanna Lavoie