Our Programs & Impact

The Toronto Garlic Festival delivers cultural, community, and economic impact through a curated blend of music, talks, contests, film, and inventive experiences, supported by strong community partnerships. Working with collaborators ranging from the Ontario Science Centre to the Toronto Public Library, Walrus Magazine, and Canadian Women in Food, the festival showcases creativity rooted in Ontario’s agricultural story. Past and current programs and partnerships are described below

Programming

Live Music

A showcase of Toronto’s cultural diversity, curated by Toronto-based composer Donald Quan and featuring musical traditions such as mbira and samba, along with jazz, folk, and Indigenous performers. Nearly all musicians are Toronto- or Ontario-based, bringing local artistic talent to the festival stage through special collaborations and dynamic performances.

  • Micaela Rae – Pop/folk singer-songwriter

     

  • David R. Maracle & Donald Quan with guest eaoh Argos – Indigenous multi-instrumentalist, flute, vocals

     

  • Ewan Farncombe & Jack Johnston – Young jazz duo (piano & bass), including Oscar Peterson repertoire

     

  • Jordana Talsky – Looping pop

     

  • Bill Wood – Country/folk singer-songwriter

     

  • Donné Roberts – Madagascar singer-songwriter performing in Malagasy and other languages
  • Mutamba – African mbira and storytelling

     

  • Seu Jorge Moran – Mexican reggae

     

  • Brigit O’Reagan with Donald Quan & Ashley Marotta – Eclectic violin & eclectic world music

     

  • Richard Underhill Trio – Jazz

     

  • Samba Squad / Mikalyn Hay – Traditional samba group

     

  • Abracdadavra – World music trio
  • Jackson Steinwall with eaoh Argos (Pop)
  • Gurpreet Chana (World Music)
  • Semiah Smith (Indigenous Song)
  • Kobè Aquaa-Harrison (World Music – Africa)
  • Marsala Lukianchuk (Jazz & Celtic)
  • Laurance Tanza (Asian Songs)
  • Carl Dixon – Garlic Happy 1/2 Hour (soft rock; The Guess Who)

     

  • Donald Quan – Garlic on the Brain (film/TV instrumental compositions)
  • Jim Gelcer & Bob Cohen – Best of Canadiana
  • Ed Hanley & Justin Gray (Modern Indian Classical)

     

  • Kobena Aquaa-Harrison (Traditional & Contemporary Ghanaian Music)

     

  • Clan Hannigan (Irish Traditional)

     

  • Demitrios Petsalakis & Brenna MacCrimmon (World percussion & Turkish singing)

     

  • Solomon Joseph (Solo steel pan)

     

  • Donald Quan & Bob Cohen (Film score compositions)

     

  • Flavia Abadia (Spinning Latin Vibes)
  • Chief Stacey Laforme (Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation)

     

  • Waleed Abdullah (Sudanese percussion)

     

  • Vandan Vishwas (South Asian music)

     

  • Lucio Raggiunti (Organetto)

     

  • Jonno Lightstone & Brian Katz (Klezmer Smorgasbord)

     

  • Chris Dunn & Paula Wolfson (Canadian songbook)

     

  • Glen Hornblast

     

  • DJ Bliss (Persian pop)
  • Bill King

     

  • Donald Quan

     

  • Lawrie Ingles
     (Piano provided by Remenyi House of Music)
  • The Adriaanse/Stanley Duo

     

  • Astrosurf
  • Carl Dixon (Coney Hatch, April Wine, The Guess Who)

Culture Talks

Conversations led by chefs, farmers, historians, scholars, artists, and film critics exploring garlic’s influence on cuisine, identity, health, agriculture, folklore, cinema, and more. These talks have taken place during the Toronto Garlic Festival, while others—such as Toronto Public Library–hosted talks—have occurred off-site.

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Contests & Activities

Visitor experiences including the VR Garlic Farm Tour, the Garlic Breath Contest, the Garlic Haiku Contest, short films, and experimental programming that brings agricultural awareness and science to the festival atmosphere.

Partners, Sponsors & Collaborations

Over the years, the Toronto Garlic Festival has collaborated with an exceptionally wide range of partners—cultural institutions, community organizations, local businesses, educators, and innovators—each contributing to and benefiting  from the festival’s growth and public impact. 

From scientific engagement with the Ontario Science Centre, to community learning initiatives with the Toronto Public Library, to culinary and entrepreneurial collaboration with groups such as Canadian Women in Food, the festival’s partner network demonstrates how garlic can connect people across disciplines and sectors. The table below summarizes these partnerships across the years, highlighting the many ways organisations and their members have supported and benefited from the Toronto Garlic Festival. The table below does not include generous support received from the City of Toronto and federal and provincial su[port.

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