Doug Ford And Olivia Chow Say Governments Will Help Fund Resurrection Of Taste Of The Danforth
Adedokun Waliyu
2 min read
The Taste of the Danforth, a longtime beloved festival celebrating Greek food and culture in Toronto, could be returning if Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow have their way.
During an unrelated photo opportunity about the Ontario Line on Wednesday, both leaders addressed resurrecting the festival amid comments about how the future rapid transit line will serve the city’s east end.
“I got an idea: I’m getting off script, I always get in trouble, but do you know what I miss? I miss the Taste of the Danforth,” Ford said.
“I will commit, and I will talk to our friend the boss there, to see if we can put money in to revitalize Taste of the Danforth and mayor, you’re not getting off scot-free, you put a little bit in and we’ll put a little more in.”
Ford called the event “exciting” and described the Taste of the Danforth as a “mob scene” when he went with his brother, former Toronto mayor Rob Ford.
“We’ll commit to that as long as we get partnership with our other colleagues here,” Ford said.
Chow confirmed there are efforts to restore the festival.
“Tens of thousands of people come to the Taste of the Danforth. Yes, the City of Toronto through my budget has put aside some funding to support it,” she said.
“Hearing the good news that the provincial government may partner with us, even better news, so let’s bring it back this year.”
No other details about the Taste of the Danforth were immediately available, including the extent of planning and organization that has taken place to get a festival up and running later in 2026.
It was in 2023 when the GreekTown on the Danforth BIA announced it was cancelling the long-standing annual event as of 2024, citing financial pressures and a potential increase of BIA levies to business owners. At the time, BIA officials said the 2023 event resulted in a $257,000 loss.
The event was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19-related restrictions. In 2022, BIA members cited streetscape challenges, issues adapting to CaféTO patio installations and bike lanes in their decision to suspend that year’s event.
The organization reported past festivals have attracted up to 1.6 million people throughout the weekend it is held. The first event was held in 1994.
Meanwhile, some on Danforth Avenue lamented the loss and hoped for a return.
“They could have worked something out,” Tom Papadatos, a server at Cristina’s, told CityNews in 2025.
“Every problem has a solution.”
Kamal Hosain, the owner of Alexandro’s, described how sales buoyed the business.
“For the sales, the Taste of Danforth, that money is our back-up money for the winter,” he said.
“During the winter season, business is very slow, so that money we keep as our backup.”
