In this edition of Foodie Fortnight: a vegan festival, a beer-focused fundraiser and an indoor-fishing party.
Brewer’s Plate Dinner This charity beerfest—now in its seventh year—is a celebration of local food and booze spearheaded by Jaime Kennedy, Toronto’s original locavore chef. This year’s event brings together 14 Toronto chefs, 22 Ontario craft brewers, a team of professional “wandering minstrels” and, according to the event website, at least a few people on stilts. It’s taking place tonight, June 4, at the skylit CBC Atrium on Front Street, so anyone hoping to grab a last-minute ticket should act fast. June 4. $125. Barbara Frum Atrium, 250 Front St., brewersplatetoronto.org
Raw/Vegan Festival For serious vegans and raw-foodists, this downtown festival should be a good place to stock up on sea vegetables, sprouted breads and something called “dehydrated nopal cactus powder” (apparently it’s good for digestion). For the merely vegan-curious, it may well provide a fascinating introduction to meat- and dairy-free eating. June 7-8. FREE. 918 Bathurst St., torontorawveganfestival.com
Toronto Taste A handful of tickets are still available for this annual food fundraiser, where 50 Toronto chefs will be serving up blinis, crostinis and other dainty hors d’oeuvres. The $250 price tag includes all the food and drink you can stomach. June 8. $250. Corus Quay, 25 Dockside Ave., torontotaste.ca
Halal Food Fest Last year, people lined up for hours to get into Toronto’s first Halal food festival. (“Halal” food is food that’s been prepared in accordance with Islamic Shari’ah law.) This year’s festival will have over 150,000 square feet of sampling stations, food stalls and cooking demos. The 2014 teaser video is worth a viewing. June 14-15. $5 admission. International Centre, 6900 Airport Rd., halalfoodfestto.com
Fishing Party at Scadding Court “Indoor fishing” isn’t something you hear about too often, but it’s happening this month at the Scadding Court Community Centre on Dundas West. On the third Thursday in June, the centre will be stocking its indoor pool with live fish, which will be reeled in by party-goers, and then cooked up by Market 707’s street-food sellers. June 19. Market 707, 707 Dundas St. W., scaddingcourt.org
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