Toronto Travel: Taste of Danforth- Midway Area with Ferris Wheel

Summer is a great time for festivals in Toronto, and one of the most popular is the Taste of the Danforth. It is held every year in early August and I visited on August 9, 2009 to check out the action.

The festival was started in 1994 and today draws more than one million people. Danforth Avenue, one of Torontos major east-west thoroughfares, is blocked for traffic all the way from Broadview Avenue to Jones Avenue and several kilometers of road become a pedestrian zone. The Danforth area is traditionally known as Torontos Greektown and is one of the citys main entertainment and shopping areas. Dozens of restaurants, many of them Greek and equipped with patios, provide food and entertainment until late at night in an atmosphere that is indeed reminiscent of the Mediterranean. This area boasts one of the largest restaurant concentrations in the world.

During the festival the street is full of booths owned by local restaurants who sell delicious foods including traditional Greek dishes such as souvlaki, gyros and baklava. Other cuisines such as Thai and Chinese are represented as well including roasted corn and delicious sweet crepes, one of my personal favourites.

The 2009 Taste of the Danforth featured the Wine Garden, a temporary restaurant located in the middle of the street, and several beer gardens. Three stages showcased music of all different kinds including Greek music. The Sports Zone provided challenges and games that have been created by Torontos professional sports teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, the Toronto Argos and the Toronto Marlies. Children and the young-at-heart were having a ball (literally), testing their skills in the various challenges.

The Taste of the Danforth is one of Torontos most well-attended events and attracts around a million visitors every year.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Toronto
• Travel
• Canada
• Danforth
• Festival
• Greektown