The Cheese Boutique is throwing a CNE-style street party next month

Afrim Pristine, maître fromager and co-owner of Toronto’s premier cheese emporium, is hosting a charitable cheese-palooza on Canada Day, with all proceeds going to St. Joseph’s Health Centre’s mental health programs and support services. What better way to celebrate the birth of the country than by eating cheese in the name of charity?

From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on July 1, Ripley Avenue (a street Cheese Boutique is slowly taking over, one building at a time) will be transformed into a fun-for-all-ages, CNE-style festival with bouncy castles, live music, balloon art, fireworks (set off by Pristine himself) and food, glorious food. The midway-worthy lineup of treats will include cookies from Devin Connell’s new biscuit outpost, Odd Cookie Snacks; funky-flavoured ice pops from Sopsicles; and Kool Cherry Nice Cream’s experimental sweets.

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More substantial mains will come courtesy of the Carbon Bar’s pit masters, who will be setting up a huge smoker to serve up their St. Louis–style pork ribs, and the Cheese Boutique’s own food truck, which will be doling out smoked brisket, patriotic poutine, fish tacos, and mac and cheese.

“Coming from immigrant parents with deep European roots, we are very proud Canadians,” says Pristine. “When my parents became Canadian citizens, it was a huge moment in their lives. Cheese Boutique has always taken Canada Day as a day off to celebrate, but this year we want to have fun with our community and bring everyone together for an awesome street party.”