If you thought one day was long enough for a festival committed to just one specific comfort food, you’ve underestimated the power of mac ‘n cheese.
Toronto’s first celebration of everyone’s favourite artery clogger is happening for the entire three days of June 5th through 7th.
Why? Probably because that stuff is filling – and if you want to try all the varieties they’re cooking up, you just might need to come back all three days.
Mac & Cheese Festival will take place outdoors in Liberty Village with no cost for entry, and live performances will keep you entertained if the lineups prove to be a long wait.
Some of the confirmed vendors include Cardinal Rule, Art of Food, Bombay Street Food, Local Public Eatery, Locus 144, Fonda Lola, Burrito Burrito, Hard Rock Cafe, The Holy Grill Food Truck, Cafe Bar Pasta, H Bar, Mata Petisco Bar, Junked Food Company, Vespa Pizzeria, Williams Landing, and SOCO Kitchen + Bar.
Patrons will be tasked with voting for the $5,000 People’s Choice Award, while there will also be awards given to the Best of the Fest and Most Unique dishes.
And what else goes great with a bowl of cheesy carbs? Beer, of course. Local pub The Brazen Head will set up a beer garden featuring Toronto’s best craft brews.
Yes, we’re definitely still wary about this kind of festival after the disappointing Grilled Cheese Fest and Sushi Festival – but the fact that this one offers free entry (and takes place in the open air over three days) should help avoid the crowding and overselling of tickets that these events tend to struggle with.
Of course, the trade-off is that you will have to pay for each dish separately, rather than the all-you-can-eat style the other festivals attempted to offer for a set price – but this means you will actually get what you pay for.
On a charitable note, the festival has also partnered up with Foodshare Toronto, meaning you can feel good stuffing your face.
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