Toronto loves a good street festival, and Taste of the Danforth, a staple in Greektown since 1994, is no exception drawing over a million enthusiasts to immerse themselves in Greek culture.
Surprisingly, on Tuesday evening, organizers voted to cancel the 2024 Taste of the Danforth. The GreekTown on the Danforth BIA chose not to raise member levies by nearly 20 per cent to secure festival funding, learning from a shortfall in 2023.
Councillor Paula Fletcher, who represents the Toronto-Danforth ward, told the Toronto Star that she was very disappointed in the decision.
“IÂ really hope the board will reconsider and I will do whatever I need to do to have the city support a decision to have a 2024 Taste,” she said.
The three-day event which takes place in August each year, faced cancellations from 2020 to 2022 when challenges arose with the City of Toronto’s CaféTO program and extended bike lanes occupying street space. To attendees, the Taste of the Danforth provides three days of tasting tables celebrating the best in Greek culture, music, and food, but for businesses in GreekTown, it’s three days of customers, profit and success.
Even with its return in 2023, the event encountered difficulties with late planning, fundraising struggles and sponsorship shortages. During the BIA’s annual general meeting, members learned about the financial challenges, including a fundraising shortfall and a lack of reserves to cover the gap.
At the meeting, concerns were raised about the festival losing its ties to the Greek neighborhood, limited benefits to non-restaurant businesses, and fears of lower turnout due to the cost-of-living crisis. BIA members ultimately rejected the levy increase, supporting a budget without funding for the 2024 Taste of the Danforth.
Councillor Fletcher suggested a comprehensive review of the festival’s financial model, expressing optimism that the event, one of the city’s oldest and most cherished, can be saved.