The Summerlicious food festival is returning to Toronto this summer.
In a press release on Friday, Toronto Mayor John Tory said Summerlicious will return to the city, and will run Aug. 12-28.
The festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Summerlicious 2022 has been designed to make it easier for restaurants to participate and to encourage more Toronto residents to dine-in and celebrate the city’s diverse culinary scene,” the release reads.
According to the city, this year’s Summerlicious program “aims to support the recovery and revival of Toronto’s restaurant scene while providing the enticing experiences and delectable food that restaurant-goers have come to expect.”
The city said the program has been “renewed” to help the local industry to “generate much-needed revenue while also encouraging and building confidence in people so that they choose to safely enjoy indoor and patio dining again.”
The release said a number of “significant changes” have been made this year to make it easier for restaurants to participate in Summerlicious, including an online application process. The city said fees have also been waived.
Restaurants will also have “greater flexibility” to set menus and price points, the city said.
Applications will be accepted from April 14 to April 29, with confirmation provided in mid-May. More information can be found on the city’s website.
Tory said he is “delighted” that Summerlicious is returning in August.
“While restaurants have been hard hit through this pandemic, we haven’t stopped finding new and innovative ways to support these business owners and keep people working — including with this free and improved Summerlicious program.”
He said with “incredible restaurants across Toronto” and “diverse cuisine options to choose from,” there’s something for everyone.
“I encourage Toronto residents to continue supporting and celebrating the revival of Toronto restaurants by safely joining friends and dining in locally to sample the diverse culinary offerings Toronto restaurants have to offer,” Tory said.