'Reimagined' Taste of Danforth to return to Toronto this August, organizer says

A Taste of the Danforth will return this summer but the popular street festival in Greektown will be "reimagined," an organizer says.

Mary Fragedakis, executive director of the GreekTown on the Danforth BIA, told CBC Toronto on Tuesday that the BIA's board of directors has approved a contract for a "reimagined" festival that will run between Aug. 11 and 13, 2023.

Coun. Paula Fletcher, who represents Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth, announced on Twitter later that the festival will be held for the first time since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

"Taste of the Danforth a go for 2023!" Fletcher said in the tweet.

It was cancelled in 2020, 2021 and again in 2022. Last year, the BIA cancelled the event because it said there wasn't enough time to adapt the festival to changes on the street.

Fletcher added that she is "very happy" that the board of directors voted on Tuesday to hire an event planner to help them plan and execute the event.

Earlier in an interview, she said: "People want to get back on the street. They want to get back to Greektown, and yes, there will be souvlaki. There'll be a lot of good food, a lot of good entertainment."

In an email on Tuesday, the city said it is helping the festival's organizing committee, including staff time and a grant to hire an event producer.

"The city looks forward to the return of the reimagined festival this August (organizers will confirm the dates once final) as well as the many benefits it brings to local businesses, residents and visitors," the city said in the email.