Taste of the Danforth cancelled for second year in a row

For the second year in a row the beloved festival won’t be filling up the street of Toronto’s Greektown neighbourhood, the reason why has yet to be confirmed.

For the second year in a row, there will be no food vendors, live music, entertainment or other attractions along Toronto’s Greektown neighbourhood this weekend.

The Taste of the Danforth, one of the most beloved festivals in the city, usually held during the second weekend of August, was quietly cancelled this year.

Jim Tsafatinos, the owner of Kalyvia Restaurant, knew the festival wouldn’t be held when he didn’t hear from organizers in April about getting the required paperwork, including a liquor licence.

“Once you don’t get the paperwork, you know something fishy is going on,” he told CTV News Toronto.

“The sad part is, everyone else had their festivals except us.”

Last year, the east-end street festival was cancelled due to funding constraints. The GreekTown on the Danforth BIA said the festival needed a new title sponsor to push through, as the levy approved by its members would not be able to cover the cost.

The BIA has not confirmed why there was no festival this year.

Coun. Paula Fletcher, who represents the area, told CP24 the neighbourhood group felt it couldn’t stage the popular event again this year.

“It’s a huge festival, about a million people, and the organizer that had always done that festival wasn’t available. So, this is, unfortunately, the only festival that hasn’t made it out of COVID, but a lot of people miss it so much,” Fletcher said.

BIA hopes to bring festival back next year

She urged the BIA to explore how to bring it back and said the city is willing to help the group in whatever way possible.

Speaking to CTV News Toronto, the chair of the Greektown BIA said the group is working to bring back the festival next year, although it may look different. He added that the planning is underway, as well as talks with the city.

Fletcher said talks have not begun but her “fingers are crossed.”

“(They’ve) got to get it together, come up with a plan for 2026, and see what’s possible. It is the only festival not to come out of COVID, and so everybody’s rooting for the Taste of the Danforth. I’m sure you speak to many business owners and people along that stretch of the Danforth,” the councillor said.

Tom Papadatos, who works at Christina’s, said he wasn’t aware of the event’s cancellation this year, as there had been no communication.

He believes the Taste of the Danforth, which was first held in 1993, should be brought back, as it is a staple in the neighbourhood.

“Find a solution,” Papadatos said. “Deal with the problem. Bring all these people back, and boost the community and the economy. I think that would be reasonable.”