Festivals in Toronto Back in Spring and Summer

Volume 3, Issue No. 36

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America and beyond . . . . . .

 

 Our latest as of Friday, March 4, 2022 

~  Spring and summer carry the promise of renewed laughter, fellowship, and joy with the announcement today (Friday, March 4) by the authorities of the return of in-person events and festivals in the city. The festive spirit is rekindled as organizers prepare to move forward with their festivities starting three weeks from now up to the end of summer. Toronto officials are ecstatic and so are we. But wait, where's the Filipino community's centrepiece - the Taste of Manila street festival?  

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ELEVEN FESTIVALS ON SCHEDULE IN TORONTO

In-Person Events Return, But Where's Taste of Manila?

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

“ Welcome back to the Toronto we know and love!”― Mayor John Tory

TORONTO - The city is rolling out the welcome mat for in-person events and festivals through the Spring and Summer this year in what officials said is an effort "to reignite the cultural vibrancy of the city".

Eleven major festivities are scheduled from March 20 to September 18, and these include St. Patrick's Parade, Doors Open Toronto, Pride Toronto. Luminato Festival Toronto, TD Salsa in Toronto Festival, TD Toronto Jazz Festival, Taste of Lawrence, Toronto Caribbean Carnival, TD JerkFest Toronto, Taste of the Danforth, and Toronto International Film Festival.

The Filipino community's once-admired centrepiece of events - the Taste of Manila (ToM) street festival - is nowhere in the list provided by the office of Mayor John Tory on Friday, March 4. (Related video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aOgDtLd6ec)

“Today’s announcement marks a very important milestone in our reopening efforts. The return of in-person events to Toronto is a sign that we are ready to move forward after two very challenging years," the city's top executive said in a press statement furnished The Filipino Web Channel.

ToM has been shelved starting in 2020 when the pandemic struck. Its last staging was on August 17-18, 2019, which almost didn't happen had not city authorities intervened and waived some fees that organizers could not afford to pay as the organization had gone bankrupt.

At that time, Mayor Tory declared that "we're not prepared to let Taste of Manila go by the wayside". The pandemic saved the mayor from the embarrassment of not fulfilling this promise. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-PmytZ9wDE).

Indeed, Tory had all the reasons to rescue ToM. Despite its dubious provenance, ToM had managed to attract thousands of Filipinos, and Canadians and Americans of Filipino descent from the first time it launched in August 2014 through six years until August 2019.

ToM's popularity inevitably captivated mainstream politicians of different colors and stripes. It had become a sounding board and a platform to woo voters for local, provincial and federal elective posts. In fact, the Conservatives once took a crack at making ToM look like it's their event. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNkHG36opmI).

Its success led to its downfall. The once friendly organizers, sponsors, and supporters have become bitter enemies because of petty intrigue, self-interest, and jealousy.

One official, his ego bigger than his head, betrayed his major patron to feed his own greed. Another enabled him just to exact revenge on the other party. The original group had disbanded only to be replaced by another and another.

Organizations of questionable motives have attempted to revive ToM virtually. One even went to the extent of stealing film footage of past ToM events and marketed it to sponsors and patrons for their "virtual Taste of Manila". (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_398v7dDQhQ and full story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2022/02/virtual-taste-of-manila-fests-duped.html).

Meanwhile, officials said city staff are now working with event organizers across the city to plan their return to in-person events as soon as this spring and in line with public health guidance and direction. 

"The City is taking in permit applications for review. Public health regulations around COVID-19 will continue to guide the City’s ability to issue permits. The City encourages organizers to have plans in the event that provincial health regulations change," a press statement explained.

The city lists the upcoming events residents can look forward to:

1. St. Patrick's Parade returns on March 20. The city's largest celebration of Irish-Canadian culture has been entertaining tourists and Torontonians since 1988. Everyone is welcome to attend this amazing afternoon of music, dance, floats and fun. More information available at stpatrickstoronto.com/.

2. Doors Open Toronto will take place on May 28 and 29, 2022. With favourites like Toronto City Hall, Aga Khan Museum, R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant and Portlands Energy Centre, Doors Open Toronto opens the doors – in person and virtually – to over 100 of Toronto’s most significant sites. Additional details available at www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/doors-open-toronto/.

3. Pride Toronto will be bringing Pride Month and Festival Weekend back in 2022, with the full month of Pride programming to begin on June 1, concluding with the annual Pride Festival Weekend on June 24 through June 26. More details available at www.pridetoronto.com/.

4. Luminato Festival Toronto, the city's international arts festival dedicated to performance, media and visual arts, returns June 9 through June 19 with free outdoor events and intimate experiences that cut across traditional art-form boundaries. More information available at luminatofestival.com/.

5. TD Salsa in Toronto Festival will return June 1 through July 31. The largest Latino-themed cultural celebration in Canada, the festival features the annual TD Salsa on St. Clair Street Festival (July 9 and 10) and includes the best of Latino music, dance, visual arts, and culture with salsa dance parties, art exhibitions and dance lessons. Additional information available at www.salsaintoronto.com/.

6. TD Toronto Jazz Festival returns June 24 through July 3. The annual 10-day event, this year celebrating its 35th anniversary, always features some of the biggest names in jazz, blues, R&B, soul and more, keeping more than 500,000 music lovers entertained in free and ticketed settings throughout the city. More information available at torontojazz.com/.

7. Taste of Lawrence, Scarborough’s largest street festival, will take place July 8 through July 10. The three-day food and cultural festival takes place in the Wexford Heights BIA. Additional details available at www.wexfordbia.ca/.

8. Toronto Caribbean Carnival will be celebrating 55 years of Carnival in Toronto from July 7th to August 1, 2022. North America largest Festival will be celebrating Caribbean history culture, music and cuisine. Details available at www.torontocarnival.ca/.

9. TD JerkFest Toronto is one of Ontario's most prominent and hottest summer festivals with a three-day international event celebrating jerk cuisine, music and family entertainment. JerkFest returns August 4 through to August 7. More information available at www.jerkfestival.ca/.

10. Taste of the Danforth, Canada’s largest street festival, returns to Toronto will take place August 5 through August 7. The festival has become a celebration of both its Greek heritage and the multicultural nature of the City of Toronto. Additional information is available at tasteofthedanforth.com/.

11. The Toronto International Film Festival returns on September 8 through September 18, 2022 for its 47th edition – 11 days of international and Canadian cinema, special events featuring some of the biggest names in film, and TIFF’s Industry Conference, offering diverse and innovative perspectives on the art and business of film. Details available at www.tiff.net/. (Copyright 2022. All Rights Reserved).