What to know
- Taste of Manila runs Saturday, Aug. 15 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 16 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. between Wilson and Laurelcrest avenues.
- More than 150 vendors will serve Filipino food and sell specialty products, while over 350 local entertainers perform across the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao stages.
- Sparkle World Tour artists Miguel Tanfelix, Shuvee Etrata, Rochelle Pangilinan, Paul Salas, John Rex Baculfo and Beki Velo will perform throughout the weekend.
- Bathurst Street will close between Wilson and Laurelcrest until early Monday, with TTC bus diversions and a separate Line 1 closure affecting trips to the festival.
Toronto’s Little Manila neighbourhood is getting ready for one of its biggest weekends of the year.
Taste of Manila returns to Bathurst Street and Wilson Avenue on Saturday, Aug. 15 and Sunday, Aug. 16, bringing two full days of Filipino food, music, dance and cultural celebrations to North York.
Now in its 13th year, the free street festival is organized by the Society of Philippine Artists, Recreation and Community (SPARC). Organizers say it’s Canada’s largest Filipino street festival, attracting visitors from across Toronto and beyond.
Here is everything you need to know before heading out.
When and where is Taste of Manila?
The festival takes over Bathurst Street between Wilson and Laurelcrest avenues, in the heart of Toronto’s Little Manila neighbourhood.
According to the official Taste of Manila website, the festival hours are:
- Saturday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 16, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission is free, and the event is open to all ages.
Come hungry: More than 150 vendors are expected
As the name suggests, food is one of the biggest attractions.
More than 150 vendors are expected to fill the festival grounds with Filipino cuisine, specialty foods, merchandise and handcrafted goods. Visitors can expect everything from traditional dishes and familiar street-food favourites to modern takes on Filipino flavours.
Organizers have teased festival staples including smoky grilled meats, lechon and halo-halo, alongside snacks, desserts and dishes representing different regions of the Philippines.
The vendors also give local Filipino restaurants, small businesses and entrepreneurs an opportunity to introduce their products to the hundreds of thousands of people expected to pass through the neighbourhood.
More than 350 entertainers across three stages
There will be plenty happening away from the food stalls as well.
The festival will have three entertainment stages named after the Philippines’ main island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Organizers say more than 350 local entertainers will perform throughout the weekend, including singers, live bands, dance crews and cultural groups. Visitors will be able to move between the stages and catch different performances throughout both days.
A cultural parade is also expected to feature more than 1,000 community participants representing Filipino regions, traditions and organizations from across Canada. Groups participating in the parade have been asked to assemble at Bathurst and Wilson at 9 a.m. Saturday.
GMA stars are coming to Toronto
This year’s festival will also serve as the first stop on the 2026 Sparkle World Tour.
The latest lineup announced by GMA includes Miguel Tanfelix, Shuvee Etrata, Rochelle Pangilinan, Paul Salas, singer John Rex Baculfo and comedian Beki Velo.
Baculfo, the Season 5 winner of GMA’s singing competition The Clash, was added after organizers announced that Jillian Ward would no longer be appearing at the Toronto festival.
The Sparkle artists are scheduled to take the stage at approximately 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday, according to the festival’s social media pages.
The international tour is one of GMA’s largest projects outside the Philippines and is intended to bring Filipino performers directly to overseas communities.
Road closures will be in effect all weekend
Drivers should prepare for delays and limited parking around the festival.
Toronto police say Bathurst Street will be completely closed between Wilson and Laurelcrest avenues beginning at midnight Saturday. The street is expected to reopen at 2 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17.
Motorists will need to use surrounding streets to bypass the closure. With large crowds expected, public transit is strongly recommended.
TTC buses and Line 1 will be affected
The 7 and 307 Bathurst buses will divert in both directions using Wilson Avenue, Faywood Boulevard and Laurelcrest Avenue. The 160 Bathurst North bus will also divert using Faywood and Laurelcrest.
Stops on Bathurst between Wilson and Laurelcrest will not be served, while the 160 will bypass stops on Wilson between Faywood and Bathurst. The route changes are scheduled from 10 p.m. Friday until 2 a.m. Monday.
There is also a major Line 1 subway closure between Sheppard West and St Clair West stations throughout the weekend. Shuttle buses will replace subway service along the closed portion, and Glencairn Station will be closed.
One way to avoid the closure is to take Line 1’s Yonge branch to York Mills Station, then board a westbound 996 Wilson Express, 96 Wilson or 165 Weston Road North bus to Bathurst Street. Festival-goers travelling through Wilson Station can use the subway replacement shuttle before connecting with an eastbound Wilson bus.
Keep an umbrella nearby on Sunday
Environment Canada’s Toronto forecast calls for a mix of sun and cloud Saturday, with a high of 24 C and a humidex of 27.
Sunday is expected to reach 24 C but comes with a 70 per cent chance of showers. Since the festival is outdoors and spans several blocks, comfortable shoes, water, sunscreen and rain protection will be useful.
