Graze all day and night at 15 summer-into-September food and drink festivals in Toronto.
Taste your way through Toronto this summer! It’s easy to sip, savour and discover when you hit the city’s dynamic summer food and drink festivals and foodie events. Here are 15 that cut the mustard.
Wine Fest Toronto
Sip your way around the world at Wine Fest Toronto (July 5–7, 2024), an exciting festival made exclusively for wine lovers.
You’ll get to enjoy an all-you-can-taste experience and sample an endless variety of global and Canadian wines, including from the Niagara Region.
Location: Roundhouse Park, just minutes away from Union Station. Psst: you’ll want to snap plenty of photos since this is right under the CN Tower.
Taste of Lawrence
Scarborough’s largest street festival is back, and Taste of Lawrence (July 5–7, 2024) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Taste multicultural eats and shop from over 150 street vendors, all while enjoying live entertainment, fun midway rides and more. From saucy tacos to refreshing bubble tea, there’ll be plenty of fantastic international food options.
Location: Lawrence Avenue East, between Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road, a short drive from the chill and eclectic Birch Cliff neighbourhood.
Taste of the Middle East
Get a Taste of the Middle East (July 5–7, 2024) at this bustling festival celebrating Arabic art, music and culture.
Indulge in delicious Middle Eastern eats like shawarma and falafel, enjoy live music, and watch traditional dance performances. There’s also a Kids Zone with plenty of fun activities for the little ones.
Location: admission is free, and it’s all happening at Nathan Phillips Square, located in the heart of downtown.
Summerlicious
Of course, we can’t forget everyone’s favourite food event of the summer: Toronto’s beloved Summerlicious (July 5–21, 2024)!
You can order from special prix fixe menus at over 200 coveted fine dining and mom-and-pop restaurants from across Toronto. Start planning out your restaurant bucket list and book your reservations online.
Location: 200+ restaurants across Toronto, from west-end Etobicoke to east-end Scarborough.
Downtown Toronto Ribfest
Go beast mode at Downtown Toronto Ribfest (July 12–14, 2024), where you’ll get to devour some of the juiciest and most mouth-watering BBQ ribs you’ll have this summer. Savour the sweet, smoky and saucy flavours of BBQ from Texas all the way to Kentucky.
Also see: Where to Find Toronto’s Best BBQ
Location: Yonge-Dundas Square, across from the Toronto Eaton Centre. Best part: free admission for a weekend of finger lickin’ fun!
International Food & Drink Festival
Savour unique dishes and drinks from around the world at the International Food & Drink Festival (July 12–14, 2024) in North York.
Expect eats like barbecue skewers and grilled seafood from Toronto’s most iconic street food chefs and trendiest restaurants, alongside curated spirits, wines and brews.
Location: Mel Lastman Square in a subway-accessible North York neighbourhood known for its multicultural shops and restaurants.
Taste of Vietnam
Celebrate everything to do with Vietnamese art, culture and food at Taste of Vietnam (July 25–27, 2024). Banh mi, summer rolls and Vietnamese coffee are just a few bites you’ll be able to enjoy at the festival.
From authentic Vietnamese street foods to live dance performances to a cultural fashion show, there’ll be plenty to see and do at this exciting free festival that raises awareness about human trafficking.
Location: Nathan Phillips Square, where snapping photos by the TORONTO sign is a must!
Toronto’s Festival of Beer
Beer and live music? Count us in. Take your pick from hundreds of beer options at Toronto’s Festival of Beer (July 26–28, 2024) this summer, including all the best pale ales, IPAs, lagers, pilsners and stouts.
Grab a cold beer and jam out to live music performances from artists like Cypress Hill, Josh Ross and Taking Back Sunday.
Location: It’s all happening at Bandshell Park in Exhibition Place, easily accessible by public transit.
Also see: Special Offers: Toronto Brew Pass
TO Food Truck Festival
Join the food truck frenzy and taste diverse eats from across Toronto at the TO Food Truck Festival (August 2–5, 2024).
Expect a plethora of tasty and unique bites, from lobster rolls to Vietnamese-inspired tacos. Admission to the festival is free, and you can also enjoy live entertainment, live eating challenges and more.
Location: The event takes place at Woodbine Park in the cozy Beaches neighbourhood.
Taste of India
Immerse yourself in India’s vibrant culture for a whole weekend at Taste of India (August 3 & 4, 2024), the largest Indian festival in North America.
Dance your heart out to the live entertainment (including DJ sets and spicy flash mobs) and indulge in plenty of delicious food, with authentic Indian eats from over 100 food vendors.
Location: Check it all out at Nathan Phillips Square, then stroll west along Queen Street West if you’re in the mood for shopping or a self-guided street art crawl.
JerkFest
Satisfy spicy cravings and celebrate a fun-filled weekend of Caribbean culture at JerkFest (August 9–11, 2024).
It’s North America’s longest-running jerk food and music festival, as well as the largest jerk festival outside of Jamaica. Celebrated Caribbean artists will be performing live, including Queen of Reggae, Marcia Griffiths.
Location: Head west to Centennial Park in the relaxed and leafy Etobicoke neighbourhood.
Waterfront Night Market
Make your way over to Toronto’s Waterfront Night Market (August 9–11, 2024) for this jam-packed Asian night market. Get a taste of pan-Asian cuisine, watch a cultural showcase and send away floating lanterns.
The event is limited to adults aged 19+ on Friday and Saturday, and open to all ages on Sunday. The festival is symbolically in celebration of the QiXi Double Seven Festival, which is Asia’s version of Valentine’s Day!
Location: Exhibition Place, by Hotel X Toronto, which is accessible by transit and packed with beautiful Lake Ontario views.
Vegandale
From juicy meatless burgers to plant-based bubble teas, treat yourself to all the best vegan eats from around the world at Toronto’s annual Vegandale (September 7, 2024) festival.
Over 120 delicious vendors will be on-site (with free sampling, naturally), and you can also enjoy live music, DJ sets and interactive art (aka photo ops!).
Location: This ticketed event is happening over at Woodbine Park, where Lake Ontario breezes and a sandy beach beckon.
VegTO Fest
September is a busy month for plant-based eaters and the vegan-curious. Mark your calendars for the totally free VegTO Fest (September 21–22, 2024), where you’ll be able to shop from over 200 exhibitors offering up plant-based food and drink, wares and so much more.
Fun fact: VegTO Fest has been going on for almost 40 years—since 1985!
Location: Nathan Phillips Square, a short walk from the Art Gallery of Ontario and Chinatown.
TO Craft Beer Festival
For all the craft beer lovers, this one’s for you! TO Craft Beer Festival (2024 dates TBA) is Toronto’s largest annual celebration of independent craft brewers, and you’ll be able to sip on brews from over 40 different labels.
Expect notable Toronto craft breweries like Henderson Brewing Company and Left Field Brewery.
Location: TBA
