What to know
- Doug Ford and Olivia Chow say they’ll work together to help fund the return of the Taste of the Danforth, which last ran in 2023 and is now slated for Aug. 7–9, 2026, according to media outlets.
- The festival has faced multiple cancellations in the last few years due to COVID-19, infrastructure changes, funding shortfalls and organizational issues, despite a brief comeback in 2023.
- Some residents say they’ve missed the event, praising it for showcasing local Danforth restaurants.
- Others argue public funds should go toward priorities, while critics say the festival has become overpriced and less unique compared to its early years.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are uniting forces to help bring back the Taste of the Danforth this summer, but residents still have mixed feelings about the festival.
Speaking at an unrelated press conference on Wednesday, Ford first revealed the idea of reviving the festival, which took place for the last time in 2023.
The premier said he would coordinate with Toronto—Danforth MP Julie Dabrusin and the mayor to raise the funds to bring back the event.
“I’m getting off script…but do you know what I miss? I miss the Taste of the Danforth,” he told reporters.
“I will commit, and I will talk to our friend the boss there to see if we can put money in to revitalize Taste of the Danforth. And mayor, you’re not getting off scot-free, you put a little bit in and we’ll put a little more in.”
Ford recalled visiting the festival multiple times, including with his brother, Rob Ford, describing the experience as “beautiful” and “a bob scene.”
“That’d be exciting. I went there a lot of times and I’ll tell you it was beautiful. I remember going there with Rob, it was like a mob scene. It was just crazy going down there and we had a great time. I love the people and the Danforth,” he added.
Chow, who was also at the conference, said that she also set aside funding in the city budget to help fund the Taste of the Danforth, and hopes the provincial funding will also help bring the event back.
“Taste of the Danforth is a week of phenomenal music, great food, dancing, people coming together. Tens of thousands of people come to the Taste of the Danforth,” he said.
“Yes, the City of Toronto, for my budget, I put aside some funding to support it and hearing the good news that the provincial government may partner with us is even better news. So, let’s bring it back this year, because I’ve missed it in the last two years.”
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BIA says festival is coming back
On Wednesday, the GreekTown on the Danforth BIA confirmed to news outlets that the festival will be back between Aug. 7–9 in 2026.
The Taste of the Danforth was first cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and again in 2022, as organizers said they didn’t have time to adapt the event to infrastructure changes in the area, including CafeTO patios.
After its comeback in 2023, the festival was cancelled again in 2024 due to lack of funding, and once more in 2025 after more organizational issues and speculated funding issues.
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Residents react
Chow and Ford’s comments have sparked mixed reactions online, with some saying they’d like to see some changes in the event.
“I live in the area and I miss it,” one Reddit user said.
“Taste of the Danforth is actually the one street festival where the vendors are actually the businesses on the street. They’ll have a few random carnival vendors but unlike Taste of Lawrence or Taste of Little Italy, most food is prepared by the restaurant businesses on the strip,” another user added.
“I don’t mind it but I wish it was more somehow…Maybe because they don’t have any money to make it better, but there’s not a lot to do after you’ve awkwardly eaten your quail leg,” someone else said.
Meanwhile, other Torontonians believe the city and the province should be focusing on other issues.
“I’d rather fund schools, nurses and more important things and that’s from someone that lives nearby,” one Redditor said.
“Nothing can save the Taste of Danforth… When it first started it was great, an actual place to try unique foods at a very reasonable price and you can have several stalls…Now, it’s just the same overpriced garbage, there’s nothing special or unique.”
“No. If a festival fails because of lack of interest then it should fail. Maybe the restaurants who participate in the Taste of the Danforth should charge reasonable prices instead of the outrageousness that has been for a while,” a different user added.
