A new festival is making history in Toronto this weekend by celebrating a beloved Filipino fruit.
On Aug. 24, the new Kalamansi Fest will take over the city celebrating the beloved Filipino fruit, kalamansi.
Presented by clothing and lifestyle brand Kalamansi Collective and Barkada Mrkt, the festival is in partnership with MYX Global and will take over Stackt Market from 12-6 p.m.
The Filipino citrus will be the main attraction with over 30 vendors working to showcase its flavour in different dishes and drinks,, including the savoury pork and chicken dish sisig, the light and sweet dessert suman, and the delicious kalamansi matcha drink.
According to Kris Pangilinan, founder of Kalamansi Collective, the clothing and lifestyle company behind the new festival, the fruit provides a unique way to celebrate Filipino culture in Toronto.
“It is the first of its kind in North America, and we are celebrating all things kalamansi. There are events out there that celebrate a lot of different fruits and vegetables and especially in Toronto, but there hasn’t been a festival that celebrates kalamansi,” he told Now Toronto.
Known as the Filipino lime, this fruit has gained popularity across the globe over the last few years, with its typical citrus flavour that is a mix between lime, lemon and orange, typically not eaten on its own but incorporated into certain dishes.
“It’s not too sour, but not too sweet. It’s right in the middle. It’s perfect. It’s a beautiful taste,” Pangilinan explains.
“There’s lemon, lime, yuzu, oranges. There’s so many different citruses out there, but this one is something of our own, and it’s called the Philippine lime. And so for us, we want to be able to just highlight this one fruit that is starting to make its way through the mainstream audience.”
Besides the star of the festival being the fruit, the event will also feature a series of other attractions, including an appearance by the Toronto Raptors’ mascot Stripes, and an array of live performances, including DJs, musicians and rappers.
The festival will also have official kalamansi-themed merch available, which are limited edition for this day only!
The Kalamansi Fest will take place on Aug. 24 at the Stackt Market, and entrance is free. Click here for more information.
