Toronto is spoiled for choice when it comes to food events this August. Before summer comes to a close there’s still plenty of outdoor festivals, food truck rallies, nights markets, and special dinners to attend.
Here’s every Toronto food event happening this month.
Adelaide Eats
This culinary market has had its run extended into August. Located right in the heart of the Financial District, look forward 14 local chefs, restaurants and food entrepreneurs offering the perfect outdoor escape from the office.
When: Weekdays until August 18
Where: 150 York Street
Price: Admission is free
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Caribana Pre-game
Kick off the legendary long weekend at this exclusive pre-game happy hour hosted by Black Foodie and The Food Society. BBQ, bevies, and DJs are all on the bill.
When: August 4, 5 pm to 9 pm
Where: Food Society, 650 Bay Street, Toronto
Price: $10 in advance.
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Toronto Food Truck Festival
Forty food trucks from across Ontario will meet up at this east end park for four days of street food, live entertainment, and fun.
When: August 4 to 7
Where: Woodbine Park, 1695 Queen Street East, Toronto
Price: Admission is free.
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Twilight Tuesdays
Spend Tuesday evenings in August at the York Street Parkette while The Drake and friends (Tundra, Libretto, Superpoint, and Momofuku Daishō) supply the food, drinks, and music.
When: Tuesdays in August, 5 pm to 9 pm
Where: 150 York Street, Toronto
Price: Food and drink tickets each $5
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Doubles vs. Patties
This West Indian snack battle will pit Doubles against Patties. The Caribana launch party hosted by Black Foodie will feature complimentary doubles and patties from Nyam Catering, alongside a vegan-friendly summer menu from Chef Joe Friday. BYO tamarind sauce.
When: August 6, 2 pm to 6 pm
Where: Food Society, 650 Bay Street, Toronto
Price: $25
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Seafood Sundays
Hosted on the Sky Yard, The Drake Hotel hosts this East Coast style seafood boil, a communal feast featuring maritime seafood classics with all the fixings, house brew, and live fiddle music.
When: Sundays, August 6 and August 20, 6 pm
Where: The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen Street West, Toronto
Price: $35 per person
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JerkFest
The three-day festival focused on Caribbean flavours takes place at Centennial Park in August and promises a weekend of feasting, cook-offs, chef demos, live workshops, and hot & spicy Jerk eating competitions.
When: August 11 to 13
Where: Centennial Park, 256 Centennial Park Road, Etobicoke
Price: From $8
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Taste of the Danforth
Now in its 24th year, Canada’s largest street Festival returns for a weekend of live performances, pageants, kids activities, and of course, eating. Restaurateurs along The Danforth will be offering “Tasting Menus” priced at $6 or less.
When: August 11 to 13
Where: The Danforth, Toronto
Price: Admission is free
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Roundhouse Craft Beer Fest
Steam Whistle Brewing hosts Ontario’s finest craft brewers for a weekend of sampling new brews, food truck eats, live music, and picnicking.
When: August 11 to 13
Where: Roundhouse Park, 255 Bremner Boulevard, Toronto
Price: $25 in advance, $30 at the gates
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Dinner Under the Stars
In part of The Feast of St. Lawrence, this ticketed five-course feast will feature contributions from top restaurants in the area including Biff’s Bistro, Barsa Taberna, Hawthorne Food & Drink, The Hot House Restaurant, Omni King Edward Hotel, Pearl Diver, The Sultan’s Tent, and Woods.
When: August 11, 6:30 pm to 11 pm
Where: 27 Front Street East, Toronto
Price: Tickets are $200, funds raised will be directed to FOODSHARE Toronto.
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Waterfront Night Market
Now in its 8th year, Canada’s largest Pan-Asian night market has found a new home. In 2017, the massive festival will move to the Hearn Generating Station allotting 350,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space to the festivities.
Highlights include 100+ street food hawkers slinging everything from skewered seafood and stinky tofu, to tropical drinks and sushi burritos in the newly expanded food midway.
When: August 11 to 13
Where: Hearn Generating Station, 440 Unwin Avenue, Toronto
Price: Admission is free.
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Tapas Journey
The Spanish beer brand sponsors this tapas crawl across Toronto featuring three dozen participating restaurants who will each offer three different types of tapas and a beer for $20.
When: August 11 to 20
Where: Front Street East at Market Street, Toronto
Price: $20 per person
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Pickering Food Truck Festival
Friends, kids, pets are all welcome to this park turned foodie haven in mid-August. Admission is free for the weekend of outdoor eating, plus there will be a beer garden, children’s village, beer garden, and stage showcasing live entertainment.
When: August 11, 5 pm to 9 pm; August 12, noon to 9 pm; August 13, noon to 8 pm
Where: The Esplanade Park, 1 The Esplanade, Pickering
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St. Lawrence Market & Market Street Celebration
St. Lawrence Market and the adjacent Market Street take the party outside for this free-to-attend event featuring outdoor food stalls, patios, farm fresh produce, demonstrations, live entertainment, and a pig roast.
When: August 12, 10 am to 11 pm
Where: Front Street East at Market Street, Toronto
Price: Free
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Kothu Fest
Promising a “cacophony of rhythmic sound, sight, and smell,” this food fest happening at Scarborough Civic Centre in August is a celebration of the famous Sri-Lankan street food.
When: August 12, 11 am to 11 pm
Where: Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Drive, Toronto
Price: Admission is free
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Sweetery
Toronto’s two-day dessert-themed festival returns in August, bringing back all the sugary goodness into our lives. Sample sweet culinary delights and taste award-winning treats, all while benefiting Second Harvest.
Where: David Pecaut Square, 55 John Street
When: August 12 to 13
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Canada’s Table
Chefs Ted Corrado, Alexandra Feswick, Jamie Kennedy, and Ned Bell prepare dishes inspired by an ingredient or flavour of Canada at this evening at the Museum. In addition to a culinary sampling from coast to coast, look forward to Canadian beverages, live entertainment and access to the ROM’s special exhibitions.
When: August 15, 7 pm
Where: Royal Ontario Museum
Price: $65
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Sushi & Sake
Chef Takumi Saito and the team at Hapa Izakaya present this 10-course tasting menu complete with five sake pairings. On the menu, oyster shooters, seafood skewers, assorted sashimi, and more.
When: August 16, 7 pm
Where: Hapa Izakaya, 602 College Street, Toronto
Price: $70
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Le Dîner en Blanc
The wildly popular annual event finds hundreds of Torontonians gathering for an epic and visually stunning pop-up picnic. Attendees are expected to BYO tables, chairs, white linens, and can opt to prepare their own picnic basket or order from catered options featuring a menu provided by Food Dudes, and wine and champagne from Charlie’s Burgers Wine Program available for pick-up on site. Per tradition, the location of the event is kept secret until the last minute,
When: August 17
Where: TBA
Price: Available online in phases; see website for details
CNE Food Truck Frenzy
Situated on Princes’ Boulevard just inside the historic Princes’ Gates, the Frenzy returns for another year of extreme carnival eats. Details including dates and vendors TBA.
When: Dates between August 18 and September 4 TBA
Where: CNE Grounds, 210 Princes’ Boulevard, Toronto
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Big Feastival
The culinary carnival promises three days of culinary delights with a family-friendly summer music festival vibe.
Where: Burl’s Creek, Oro-Medonte
When: August 18 to 20
Price: Tickets from $85
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Wild Blueberry Weekend
This berry special edition of the Brick Works’ weekend market will see 20+ food producers, preserves, bakers, and chefs highlight this delicious super fruit in products and dishes.
When: August 19 to 20
Where: Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto
Price: Admission is free.
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Vegan Food Fest
Spend the day outdoors grazing on dishes from top-tier vegan food vendors from near (like Doomie’s and Doug McNish) and far (like Arlo’s and Virtuous Pie)
When: August 19
Where: Fort York, Garrison Common
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East End Beer Fest
Three hundred east side beer enthusiasts will raise a glass at The Broadview Hotel at this inaugural event taking place Sunday, August 20 in the newly opened event space, Lincoln Hall.
When: August 20, 3 pm to 6 pm
Where: The Broadview Hotel, 106 Broadview Avenue, Toronto
Price: TBA
BBQ Rib Battle
86’d Mondays at The Drake Hotel devotes this August installment to a classic BBQ cook-off centred around finger-lickin’ peel-off-the-bone ribs.
When: August 21, 8 pm
Where: The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen Street West, Toronto
Price: $35 per person
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Beer, Bourbon & BBQ
Toronto’s newest late summer festival it’s taking every tried and true summertime attraction and mashing them all together into one single event including live country bands, line dancing lessons, bourbon tasting bars, axe throwing, BBQ cooks-offs, and more.
When: August 25 to 27
Where: Ontario Place, 955 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto
Price: Admission is $4.95
TAIWANfest 2017
Before August is out, TAIWANfest takes over Harbourfront Centre for a weekend of cultural programming and food vendors. Expect an abundance of bubble tea.
When: August 25 to 27
Where: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto
Price: Admission is free.
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Leslieville Beerfest
This neighbourhood street party shuts down Dundas Street East for an afternoon of craft brews, featured restaurants, and community artisans. Ticket prices include three beer tokens and a beer mug.
When: August 26, 1 pm to 8 pm
Where: Dundas Street East from Logan Avenue to Carlaw
Price: $20
Toronto Cider Festival
Look forward to nearly 30 cider makers pouring 60 different varieties of cider produced from Canada and around the world, along with ample opportunity to lounge in the sun and solicit food trucks for the most sought after street eats.
When: August 26, sessions between 11:30 am to 10:30 pm
Where: Sherbourne Common
Price: From $30 per person
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Canada’s Coconut Festival and Marketplace
Over 70 vendors will gather for this free event showcasing all things coconuts. From coconut food products and cosmetics, fashion and wellness programs look forward to local artisans hawking everything from vegan coconut cakes, spreads, oils, snacks, drinks, and more.
When: August 26, 10 am to 8 pm
Where: David Pecaut Square, 215 King West, Toronto
Price: Admission is free
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Halo Halo Filipino Festival
The famous Filipino dessert inspired this food fest promising sweet treats and a colourful array of arts, culture, entertainment, and more.
When: August 27
Where: Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street, Toronto
Back-of-House Appreciation Party
The Drake Hotel hosts an epic staff meal in thanks to all the Toronto cooks who worked hard during peak season (AKA summer). The industry party takes place in part of The Drake’s weekly 86’d Mondays series.
When: August 28, 8 pm
Where: The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen Street West, Toronto
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