Make the most of the warmer weather with these Canadian food festivals
By: Daniella Lopez
(James Sutton/Unsplash)
With COVID-19 restrictions easing across all of Canada, this summer is the perfect time to discover some of the country’s largest and most unique food and drink festivals. Here are nine festivals across the summer months you can enjoy in person.
May
Canadian Festival of Chili and BBQ
Canada’s oldest and largest chili and BBQ competition returns to Downtown Langley, B.C., from May 13 to 15. This two-in-one festival combines taste-testing delicious foods and fiery competitions. With some of the lowest entrance fees, anyone is able to enter the different categories of competition. If festival-goers want to sample some of the competing dishes, they must make a minimum of $5 entrance donation to the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. To date, the festival has donated over 60 thousand dollars to the Young Burn Survivors Camp in British Columbia.
(Joshua Kantarges/Unsplash)
Okanagan Spring Wine Festival
Discover Okanagan Valley’s wine industry through taste-testing from May 5 to 15. Enjoy happy hour drinks for as low as $6, tour numerous wineries while enjoying the vineyard’s wines, or immerse yourself in a private wine tasting tour.
June
Edmonton Craft Beer Festival
Enjoy one of the fastest-growing beer festivals in the world at the Edmonton Expo Centre from June 3 to 4. Sample over 500 beers from more than 100 breweries, attend a seminar on cooking with beer, sample local cuisine or explore the festival’s distillery district. This is an 18-plus event so be sure to bring government ID.
Ontario’s Best Butter Tart Festival
Venture to Midland, Ont. on June 11 to immerse yourself in the wondrous world of butter tarts. Festival-goers can enjoy butter tarts from professional and home cooks alike, and anyone is eligible to enter their butter tarts for competition. Over 200 vendors will be spread out across the city’s downtown core including food trucks, merchants and entertainers.
July
Taste of Edmonton
Enjoy one of Edmonton’s summer traditions, the Taste of Edmonton festival, from July 21 to 31 at Churchill Square. Since 1984, the festival has offered the city’s best food and drink vendors. You can also enjoy music from local artists ranging from folk to jazz.
Toronto Food Truck Festival
Enjoy some of Toronto’s best food trucks at Woodbine Park from July 29 to August 1. Taste local food, savour a cold beer and participate in live-eating challenges. Admission is free and the festival offers vegetarian, halal, gluten-free and vegan options.
August
Chocolate Fest
Venture to Canada’s Chocolate Town, St. Stephen, N.B., from July 31 to August 4. The festival goes back to 1984 and is a celebration of the town’s chocolate heritage — Canada’s oldest family candy company, Ganong Bros. Limited, is located here. Enjoy delicious candy-themed events including treasure hunts, pudding-eating contests, bingo and more!
Taste of Calgary
Discover all Calgary has to offer including food, drinks and music from August 4 to 7. Enjoy global cuisine from Calgary’s very own eatery and breweries, listen to Calgary’s local musicians or shop at unique city vendors. Festival-goers can buy sampling tickets for $1 and use them to try out different food and beverage items.
September
Canada’s Largest Ribfest
Finish your summer holidays off with a bang by attending Canada's Largest Ribfest in Burlington, Ont. on Labour Day weekend! Enjoy world-class BBQ from vendors, listen to music from emerging and established performers, or unleash your inner child by riding on carnival rides. With hundreds of thousands of attendees each year, the festival has raised around $5 million for local charities over its 25-year run.